Tenchi Muyo Ryoohki, Episode 21: Innocence
by Galaxy1001D
Summary: OVA 4 Tenchi and the girls face their inner demons when they discover that they have been lied to. How far will Washu and Ryoko go to regain their innocence? Can Ayeka survive the possibility of rejection? Ignores information in the True Tenchi novels.
1. Chapter 1

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 Prologue **

By Galaxy1001D

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__ and all related characters are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

Pushing a key on her holographic keyboard, Washu summoned a device that looked like a flying miniature camcorder. "Hey, this thing on?" She muttered as she leaned over and tapped the device to make sure it was working before leaning back to sit on the floating cushion she used as a seat.

"Hi there, Tenchi fans!" called Washu's nasal voice. "All of us in the cast and crew of _Tenchi Muyo_ are tickled pink by all of the love and support you've given us over the years. We appreciate the fact that you've watched our shows and even read and wrote fan fiction about us. From all of us, I just want to say thank you.

"Some newcomers to the Tenchi franchise may be confused by the conflicting continuities," the redhead continued. "Just as there are many different versions of your favorite comic book superheroes, there are different versions of the Tenchi gang as well. So far we have had two TV shows of twenty-six episodes each, two manga series, and twenty episodes of _Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki_, the Original Video Animation. That's not including our numerous spin-offs, specials or movies."

"Yes indeed," the little carrot top sighed, "it certainly looks like the Tenchi saga is complete. With one exception. Both _Tenchi Universe TV_ and _Shin Tenchi Muyo_ AKA _Tenchi in Tokyo_ had twenty-six episodes, but _Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki_, the continuity that started it all, has only twenty episodes, what is the deal with that?"

With little warning, the mad scientist went from lecturing to indignant. "For crying out loud, people! The original continuity has spanned both the manga and _Tenchi Muyo GXP! _How come the series that _GXP_ is based on has fewer episodes than the sequel? What the heck is going on? How come the other two series has twenty-six episodes but the original has only twenty, huh?"

"I dunno," Ryoko's voice answered. "Maybe the third OVA might have, I dunno, _sucked_?"

"Hey!" Washu protested as she looked to her right. "Tenchi OVA3 was a fitting continuation to the series!"

"No it wasn't," the cyan-haired space pirate said as she walked into view. "It blew chunks. Aside of you and Tenchi, the regular cast was barely in it. Noike had no story purpose, and the pacing and directing was crappy. For crying out loud, our fight scenes were edited out. I had more onscreen time in the seventeenth episode of _Tenchi Muyo GXP_ than in any single episode of OVA 3."

"Quiet you fool," Washu hissed as she stood on top of her floating cushion to put her hands over Ryoko's mouth. "If you go around saying that, nobody is going to buy the DVD's!"

"So what?" the pirate shrugged as she took a step back and removed the little scientist's hands from her mouth. "If they don't watch OVA3, they'll still like _Tenchi Muyo_. Sounds win-win to me."

"Connect the dots, you idiot," the redhead hissed as she gestured to the floating camcorder. "If no one buys the DVD's, we won't get another series! And you can kiss any possibility of a fourth OVA goodbye!"

"Ooh!" Ryoko's golden eyes became as wide as saucers and she looked at the camera fearfully. "Uh, I mean OVA3 kicked butt! Yep! Answered all the questions we had about OVA one and two! That's right! No plot holes or continuity errors or anything! And _certainly_ no retroactive continuity or anything like that! It's the way _Tenchi Muyo_ was supposed to be from the beginning, I swear!"

"Will you get out of here?" Washu snarled. "Go! Go!" The little genius made shooing motions with her arms as Ryoko retreated out of the camera's view. "Eh-heh-heh," a sweat drop appeared at the redhead's temple as she smiled guiltily at the camera.

"Ahem," the short scientist cleared her throat as she tried to regain her composure. "As my fellow cast member pointed out, there is a small yet vocal minority who has expressed dissatisfaction with our third OVA series."

"Wow!" Ryoko's voice called from offstage. "Look at all the hate mail! I sure wouldn't want to be in Noike's shoes right now!"

Washu valiantly tried to ignore her. "A few, a very tiny few, just one or two of you really, felt that Funimation version didn't do justice to the series the way the Pioneer LDC versions did…"

"MAN!" Ryoko shouted from offstage. "You wouldn't believe how many people the twentieth episode ticked off!"

"Will you _shut up_?" Washu screeched. "What are you doing in here anyway? I thought I locked the door to my lab!"

"Saw…ree," Mihoshi's voice called out. "I think I broke the lock to your door, but don't worry; I think I can fix it!"

"Oy…" the redhead covered her face with her hands.

"Don't worry!" Ryoko shouted. "I'll help her! We'll have it fixed in a jiffy! Just keep going!"

"Yeah right," the scientist muttered. "Okay, just be _quiet_, okay?" she shouted to the offstage pair.

"Got it," Mihoshi's voice replied.

"You won't even know we're here!" Ryoko promised.

"Sure I won't," Washu grumbled. "Ahem," she cleared her throat noisily. "Well, those of us at the Masaki house agree that the original series should have twenty-six episodes, just like _Tenchi GXP_ did. So Galaxy1001D has offered to write six episodes in story form for us."

The sound of approaching footsteps at a run was heard as Washu rolled her eyes in exasperation. Suddenly, Princess Ayeka appeared onscreen at Washu's right.

"Oh no!" Ayeka gasped. "Not _him_! Tell me it's not true Lady Washu!"

"What's the matter with him?" Washu asked irritably. "He's just as good as anyone else is."

"The problem is that Galaxy1001D isn't Japanese!" Ayeka squeaked. "He hasn't even eaten Japanese _food_! He knows nothing of our culture, of our legends, nothing! He comes from the country that dropped atomic bombs on this island!"

"So what?" Washu growled. "We have lots of fans in America. What's the big deal?"

"You don't understand," Ayeka clasped her hands in her best 'damsel in distress' pose. "This is the same man who thinks that Tenchi's mother was his grandmother based off a mistranslation in episode four! He isn't even familiar with the back-story of the OVA's! He's going to skip the 'True Tenchi' novels! He's just going to make it up whole cloth!"

"He's going to skip the 'True Tenchi' novels?" Washu grimaced in shock as a bead of sweat appeared in her hair. "But… my complex background… Jurai's history… what about _that_?"

"He's just going to make it up from scratch," Ayeka told her with moist eyes. "If it wasn't translated into English as a cartoon, he's just going to disregard it."

Washu seemed to freeze as her eyes bulged out. "Th-that's fine… just fine…" she stammered weakly. "Rewriting my background. That's good, that's being creative. It's all good here," the little genius lied bravely.

"I'm sorry," Ayeka closed her tearful eyes and covered the lower half of her face with her sleeve as she patted the stunned redhead on the shoulder. She turned and left the camera's view.

"Th-that's good," the scientist burbled in shock. "Hey, maybe he'll do great… Y-yeah… nothing wrong with that… Good for him…"

"Who cares," Ryoko's voice called out. "Hopefully that will mean more lines for the rest of us."

That broke the spell. Washu frowned and shook her head to clear it. "AHEM," she cleared her throat extra noisily this time. "As my friend and colleague pointed out, these six stories will be based off the events of _Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki_, and _Tenchi Muyo: GXP_, with few or no references to other sources."

"Except maybe _Tenchi Universe_," Ryoko shouted from offstage. "He's a big fan of _Tenchi Universe_."

"Isn't he going to include the manga?" Mihoshi's voice asked. "I thought he liked the manga."

"Will you shut your pie-hole!" Washu growled. "Ahem," she cleared her throat again. "As I was saying…"

As Washu spoke voices and noise could be heard from offstage.

"Okay Ryoko," Mihoshi's voice said. "Hold the door still for me okay?"

"Check," Ryoko's voice answered.

"All of us here at _Tenchi Muyo_ encourage all of you aspiring writers to try your hand at writing the fourth OVA series," Washu continued. The screech of a power drill nearly overpowered the voice of the little scientist as she continued speaking. "This is just one interpretation and if your version is better we'd be happy to star in it," Washu said as the repetitive sound of a hammer striking against wood was heard in the background. "Don't get discouraged because somebody else is already writing it," she added as the drill almost drowned her voice out. "We and our fans would be happy to give your version a chance." The drill stopped and the hammer's booming pounding was heard again. "Will you keep it down?" Washu shouted at the duo that was repairing the lock on her door. "I can't hear myself think here!"

"Keep yer shirt on," Ryoko retorted.

"Sorry Washu," Mihoshi's high-pitched childlike voice called out. "We're almost done, we promise!"

The scientist gnashed her teeth and glowered at the offstage pair. She turned back to the camera and took a deep breath to calm herself down as Ryoko and Mihoshi's voices lowered to a quiet mutter. "Ahem," the redhead cleared her throat yet again. "In the meantime let's give the writer our encouragement and support…"

"Otherwise the little whiner will get discouraged and leave us all hanging," Ryoko snorted, "then we'll never find out how it ends."

"Will you SHUT UP!" Washu screamed. "This is why we don't have very many fan fiction writers! You're always so mean to them! Why are you two still in here, anyway? Get out of here!"

"We're done!" Mihoshi's voice chirped.

"I think we did it, Washu," Ryoko called.

"Will you two idiots get out of here?" Washu left her seat to run offstage. "Out! Out! OUT!" her voice screamed.

"Okay, don't get your knickers in a bunch, sheesh," Ryoko said.

"Goodbye, see you later Washu!" Mihoshi said sweetly.

"You're done fixing the lock, just _leave_!" Washu ordered.

"See yuh," Ryoko muttered.

"Goodbye!" Mihoshi gushed.

The sound of a door slamming could be heard.

Washu returned to the camera's view muttering under her breath. "What a bunch of pests! That dumb blonde broke the lock on my door and then she thinks she can fix it… Guh!" Washu grimaced in fear as a disconcerting thought struck her.

She ran offstage again and soon the sounds of a doorknob rattling could be heard. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "Just as I thought! Those two idiots locked me in! Mihoshi! Ryoko! Open the door! You made it lock from the wrong side! Open the door you guys! Can you hear me? HEY!"

* * *

Tenchi is in his room when Ryoko pops out of the wall and hugs him. Japanese kanji appears obscuring your view as a woman's voice sings a peppy tune.

_When the cherry blossom starts to bloom_

_Meet me here in my lonely room_

_We'll find a passion filled fantasy_

_And this time you will stay with me_

Ayeka bursts into the room and chases Ryoko away. Ryoko sticks her tongue out at Ayeka. More kanji appears and disappears.

_All the misery that we knew before_

_Stays away when you are at my door_

_My heart will sing at ev'ry tender touch_

_And, oh, you'll want me twice as much_

Sasami and a toddler Ryo-ohki wave out the kitchen window at Ryoko and Ayeka fighting. Sasami leaves the kitchen and enters the main living room.

_A new dimension of love_

_A bold adventure waiting for you_

_The true dimension of love_

_A soaring flight. A dazzling view_

Mihoshi waves at Sasami from the top of the stairs before tripping and falling. She sits up and winces in pain as she rubs her head.

_We're gonna take it all the way_

_We'll make the dream so totally real_

_See greater wonders by the day_

_Then tell the stars what glourious rapture we feel_

Washu opens the door under the stairs and walks out carrying a strange device. Mihoshi bumps into her and the redhead drops the gadget, that shatters at her feet. Washu transforms into a baby and Mihoshi catches her before she falls. Ryo-ohki startles Mihoshi and she tosses baby Washu into the air.

_Soon, with the start of Spring_

_We'll know our hearts are changing_

_Leave the hurt behind_

_I'll be true and kind_

_Be the best you'll ever find_

Noike smiles enigmatically as the wall behind her become the stars. Baby Washu tumbles through space and falls back down to Earth.

_We don't ever have to cry or fight_

_Something tells me we can make it right_

_Enough of wandering far and wide_

_I just can't forget you though I've tried_

The camera pans down to the outside of Tenchi's house to see Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Ryo-ohki, and Noike catch the baby with a blanket held between them. When the crowd parts, Washu is a twelve-year-old again and the cast waves to you.

_This is destiny so why pretend_

_Close your eyes kiss me once again_

_I'll always be the only one you need_

_So go where your deepest longing leads_

* * *

_Next: Yosho Unmasked_


	2. Yosho Umasked

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Two: Yosho Unmasked_

It was a peaceful morning at the Masaki Shrine. The housemates were recovering from the events from the day before. "Man!" a tall angular woman with golden eyes and large ears gasped as she sat down at the breakfast table. Her cyan white hair was a mess and made her seem wild and feral. "That was something, fighting Yugi and all the weird things she was doing to the Earth, wasn't it Washu?"

"That was _Tenchi in Tokyo_ Ryoko," the petite redheaded Washu huffed. "Didn't you listen to me last chapter?"

"Uh… I mean it's nice to see all of you guys back here again!" Ryoko corrected. "So, did you guys think I died after I brought Tenchi and the knights to Jurai?"

"That was _Tenchi Universe_, you fool," Washu nagged.

"Um… so… whose turn is it to take care of Mayuka?" the former space pirate asked tentatively. "Tell you what; I'll change her this time."

"Still the wrong continuity, that was _Daughter of Darkness_," Washu corrected. "What's wrong with you, anyway?"

"Yes, since when do you volunteer to do any chores?" asked a winsome teenage girl with long purple hair.

"I help out all the time, Ayeka!" Ryoko insisted before she cleared her throat to start again. "Erm, it sure is great getting Tenchi back from that weird ghost girl that whisked him away six months back," Ryoko said weakly.

"That was in the _Universe_ timeline," Washu corrected. "Not this one."

"Er, well it sure is great to be back in the present day after going back in time," Ryoko tried valiantly. "That Kain guy sure was tough huh?"

"That was the _Tenchi Universe_ continuity again you bonehead," Washu sneered. "First movie. Why are you acting so silly?"

"Uh, what about that wacky gal who cloned Tenchi's mother to get back at him?" Ryoko offered. "She sure was twisted wasn't she?"

"Nice try, the author hasn't decided whether or not to include the manga in this story's continuity yet," Washu shook her head. "For now on when referring to events from Hitoshi Okuda's work, just use vague generalities."

"Um," Ryoko put her hand to her mouth as her mind raced. "It sure was weird meeting Ayeka and Sasami's two mothers wasn't it? I thought the Jurain king would take Ayeka away for sure."

"Don't be silly Ryoko. That happened months ago," Princess Ayeka sniffed disdainfully.

"Yeah," the blonde and bubbly Mihoshi giggled. "Are you all right? Did you hit your head or what?"

"Oh," Ryoko sniveled in frustration. "Come on you guys! That only leaves us OVA Three!"

"And this is the first episode of OVA Four," the green-eyed Washu shrugged. "What's your point?"

Ryoko whined like a child. "If this story counts OVA Three, that means…"

"Hello everybody, breakfast is served!" the green haired and pointy eared Noike announced as she emerged from the kitchen bearing a tray of food.

"That means that 'Mary Sue' here has taken over the house!" Ryoko grumbled under her breath.

"What did you say?" Noike's eyes became narrow slits and her mouth became a thin hard line.

"Nothing! Nothing!" Ryoko said with melodramatic innocence. "I wasn't saying anything, honest!"

"All right then," Noike smiled sweetly as her steely gray eyes locked on the former space pirate. "I'll help Sasami bring the rest out for you." When she turned and walked back into the kitchen, she didn't notice Ryoko make a face at her.

"Act like an adult for a change," Ayeka suggested.

"Why should I?" Ryoko grumbled.

"It seems to work well on Tenchi," Ayeka nodded as the object of their desire approached.

The teenage Tenchi Masaki and his grandfather Katsuhito walked in to the house and sat down at the breakfast table to join the girls. Both were breathing heavily from their early morning training. Since attending the disastrous wedding of Seina Yamada, Tenchi had been determined to be the best warrior he could.

The girls suspected that his renewed interest in his physical prowess was to insure that no conspiracy of desperate women could abduct him and force themselves upon him like what happened to poor Seina. Rumor had it that Seina Yamada had to do the honorable thing and marry his kidnappers as well as the four women he loved, despite the fact that _he_ was the victim.

"This takes place after _Tenchi GXP_?" Ryoko complained. "Aw…man! That means that Noike has been here for _years_…!"

"Not necessarily," Washu assured her. "I suspect the author is placing the events of _GXP_ right after _OVA 3_."

"Could you two break the fourth wall any _more_?" Ayeka snapped as her patience reached an end. "I want to get started all ready!"

"You want to get started all right," Ryoko grumbled. "You want to get started getting your royal butt kicked."

"Uh, good morning everyone," Tenchi said in a feeble attempt to distract the two rivals.

"Well it's just like you to start a fight when the day has barely begun," Ayeka sniffed imperiously. "That's how you met Tenchi, isn't it? You greeted the man you call the love of your life by attacking him and burning his school down. You certainly know how to make a good impression, Ryoko!"

"I'll make an impression on your head if you don't shut up!" the space pirate warned her.

"This is why I take my meals in my lab," Washu grunted. "It only takes two seconds for Ryoko to go totally out of control."

"I know," Mihoshi nodded. "It's so shameful. I blame her parents."

The redhead fixed the blonde with an evil look.

"Grandpa, shouldn't we do something?" Tenchi hissed at his mentor.

"Now, now, being in the same room with these two and surviving is part of the training," his grandfather joked.

"Since when?" Tenchi frowned.

"Since you qualified for the advanced course," Katsuhito quipped.

"Here we go!" a cheerful nine year old girl with sky blue hair and bubblegum pink eyes announced as she and Noike approached, carrying steaming trays of food. A tiny rabbit-feline crossbreed was sitting on her head.

Ryoko chose that moment to throw an energy ball at Ayeka. With a flick of her wrist, one moment her hand was empty, the next minute a pink sphere of energy the same diameter as a coin appeared and shot towards the first princess of Jurai like a sling bullet.

Ayeka smiled as a cluster of tiny logs appeared around her. The energy ball bounced off an invisible shield and shot across the room knocking the trays from the hands of Sasami and Noike. The bowls of food flew through the air and landed on Ryoko. The little cabbit thing meowed and jumped off the child's head to hide behind the couch.

"A-ha-ha-ha!" Ayeka cackled in her aristocratic and rather witchy laugh. "Oh Ryoko, you have such terrible table manners. Surely you know that food goes in your _mouth_."

"Ayeka! Ryoko!" Tenchi scolded as he looked at the shaken Sasami. "Now look what you did! Do we have to go through this every week? I'm sick of this! Poor Sasami!"

"It's okay, Tenchi," the child assured him. "I'm used to it." She looked around for her little pet. "Ryo-ohki? Are you okay?"

"Meow," the little cabbit assured her as she hopped over to the child.

"It's not okay!" Tenchi insisted. "Sasami could have been hurt! Just think about how you would feel if you really…"

"Dang," Ryoko commented as she brushed rice out of her hair. "He's really serious, isn't he?"

"He's the serious type," Katsuhito shrugged. "He's just like his mother."

"He sure is," Ryoko smiled as the girls shared a laugh.

Tenchi joined in too, but stopped and thought hard about what his grandfather said. "Hey… grandpa… What was that you said?"

"I said that you're the serious type," this grandfather shrugged again. "Your mother was the same way."

"Yeah, that's right…" Tenchi said suspiciously. "My mom… you've always said that she was the serious type haven't you?

"That's right," Sasami replied as Noike went back into the kitchen to get more food. "Grandpa said that the day Ryo-ohki first hatched didn't he Ryo-ohki?" she asked as she nuzzled the purring cabbit sweetly.

"Yeah…" Tenchi said with cold eyes. "My mother… the serious type… She was always the serious type… I guess that's why she was… _such a practical joker that Rea had to take care of me half the time!_"

"What?" Mihoshi gasped as Katsuhito flinched.

"That's right," Tenchi frowned at his grandfather. "My mom, she was always the serious type! So what's with this nonsense that she was this crazy practical joker, huh?"

"Uh, well… she was…" the old man stammered guiltily.

"No she wasn't!" Tenchi snarled. "You, Dad and Tennyo are! You guys didn't want to tell me what really happened so you just kept making up stupid stories until you found one so bizarre that I wouldn't question it! Died of old age? Don't make me laugh! Dad wouldn't marry an older woman! Not old enough to die of old age four years after giving birth to a son! No matter how alien Juraians might be, there's no way I can believe _that_!"

"You know, that story always _did_ sound rather strange to me," Ayeka put her hand on her chin.

"Dammit, Grandpa, how long are we going to have to put up with these lies?" asked the indignant boy.

"Lies?" Katsuhito did his best to look innocent. "What lies? Its true that I tell stories sometimes, but it's not like I always _lie_."

"Yes, you do," Ryoko chuckled, thankful that somebody else had misbehaved instead of her for once. "You even lie about your own name. It's not Katsuhito, it's Yosho, the crown prince of Jurai."

"Gosh, I can never get used to the fact that Grandpa is really my big brother," Sasami nodded sympathetically.

"Please Sasami," Ayeka gently hushed the child. "Our brother made a difficult decision when he chose to stay here on Earth and grow old gracefully." She patted the old man's arm sympathetically. "He made a difficult decision and we should respect it."

"Difficult decision? Ha!" Tenchi sneered.

"What you mean, Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka blinked.

"I mean that he's even lied about getting old," Tenchi huffed. "He's got some kind of illusion up that makes him look like he's sixty, but in reality he's barely thirty! For the last few months he's been dropping his disguise when you're in the room and then putting it back up when you turn around."

"What?" Ayeka gasped.

"Goodness me, look at the time," the old man said as he rose to his feet. "Got to get back to the shrine. Lot of work to get to today."

"Wait just a minute!" Ayeka sprung to her feet and blocked his way to the door. "Do you mean to tell me you haven't grown old? You're still a perfectly healthy young man?"

"I don't mean to tell you anything of the sort," Katsuhito assured her.

"But is it true?" Ayeka asked him. "You're still young? Young enough to marry someone _my_ age? Why did you hide behind that mask when I already know you're my brother? Sasami and I spent seven hundred years in suspended animation looking for you!"

"Wow, that's so strange," Mihoshi murmured. "Too bad _Ryu-oh_ didn't have a working radio or your parents could have told you that they found him!"

"What?" Ayeka gasped. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, while you were in suspended animation, your brother married Airi, so he must have let the interstellar community know where he was," the blonde clarified. "At the very least, your family would have known. It's a darn shame that your spaceship didn't have a working radio or they could have called you and called off the search…"

"B-but… but… _Ryu-oh_ _did_ have a working radio!" Ayeka cried before she fixed her brother with angry tear-filled eyes. "You've been laughing at me, Yosho! Laughing!" Sobbing, she ran upstairs.

"Happy now?" Katsuhito asked his grandson.

Tenchi was taken aback by what happened. "I… I… I'm sorry. But grandpa, you should have told us the truth!"

"Looks like I told _you_ too much of it all ready," the old man snorted.

Frowning, Tenchi went up the stairs after Ayeka.

"Hey does this mean you really _are_ young?" Mihoshi asked. "Come on, let us see! I want to see the famous warrior Yosho!"

"No," Katsuhito sulked childishly.

"Come on, you can be young, just for a minute!" Sasami begged.

"Meow," Ryo-ohki nodded.

"Yeah, come on old man!" Washu smiled. "Let's take a look at that hot young stud all the girls on Jurai have talked about!"

"Don't worry about it," Ryoko sneered triumphantly. "You lied your head off for the last seven hundred years, there's no point stopping now!"

Frowning irritably, Katsuhtio dropped his disguise. The years seemed to melt off like wax and his face and hands were restored to the fullness of youth. Even his mustache was gone. There before the astonished girls was the legendary famous warrior, the crown prince Yosho!

_Next: The Truth Comes Out_


	3. The Truth Comes Out

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Three: The Truth Comes Out_

"Woo-who!" the four foot Washu whistled. "Whoa momma! Look at that beefcake that's been hiding in our midst girls!"

"Wow! You're so young and handsome!" Mihoshi gushed. "Why have you been disguising yourself all this time? We can keep a secret!"

"No you can't," Noike corrected.

"Well, well," Ryoko sneered. "Looks like you're holding up pretty well, your highness, all things considered."

"Grandpa!" Sasami gasped as she held Ryo-ohki. "I mean, Brother! Why haven't you shown yourself? We all know you're my brother Yosho anyway!"

"Yeah, why be old?" Ryoko chimed in. "Looking like a wrinkly old prune must be a bummer."

Yosho grunted testily and turned back into old Katsuhito. "I like being old," the disguised prince huffed into his illusionary mustache. "I don't have to be cool, nobody asks me to help them move their stuff, I don't have women troubles like I used to…"

"You get women troubles?" Mihoshi blinked. "I never realized that Juraians were so different! Is it your relation to Tsunami the reason why even Juraian men get 'the curse'?"

"No, I mean I don't have to worry about obsessive women hounding me and getting me into tangled relationships!" he clarified as he turned into the youthful Yosho again. Rather than the gravelly voice of an old man he sounded like Tenchi Masaki with a really deep voice.

"Well excuse us for caring!" Washu protested sarcastically.

"Does this have something to do with why you and Airi are separated?" Mihoshi asked guilelessly.

"Yes," Yosho grunted. "We shouldn't have even gotten married! I prefer a peaceful life in the country in a backwater planet and she lives for running the Galaxy Police and being in the center of the action! Opposites attract, but you have to be young and stupid to actually marry your opposite!"

"Your father managed to make things work with two women, and they're different from both the king and each other," Washu pointed out.

"Between the throne, his wives, and his mother-in-law, my father is no longer his own master," Yosho protested. "I don't want any part of it."

"Wow!" Mihoshi frowned. "No wonder you like being old. The young you is a king-sized jerk!"

"That's the Yosho I remember," Ryoko smiled evilly.

The (formerly) old man sighed and pressed his glasses back on his face with one finger. "I'm sorry. I like being Katsuhito, and besides, seeing so many of my friends and descendents grow old and die makes me feel old. Deep down, I sometimes think that the elderly Katsuhito is the real me."

"But why didn't you tell Ayeka?" Sasami asked him. "She came all the way out here to marry you. If you would have married her, your bride wouldn't have to grow old and die, Yosho."

"Do you think Ayeka would have been happy being my _second_ wife?" Yosho asked his little sister. "I had hoped that more time would pass and Ayeka would have moved on before I told her the truth. I didn't even want her to know about Airi! Everything was fine until Tenchi opened his big mouth."

"Well if everything was fine, Tenchi wouldn't have opened his big mouth," Washu scolded.

"Oh like you don't have a bunch of skeletons in _your_ closet," Ryoko sneered.

"I don't lie to cover 'em up," Washu shrugged. "I just cover 'em up with more skeletons. I reveal little bits of my past when I'm good and ready. What's the big deal?"

"What makes you any different from Lord Yosho?" Ryoko asked.

"Nothing, just I'm not hiding a secret that anyone is interested in," Washu replied fiendishly. "I'm hiding secrets that _nobody_ wants to know."

Ryoko shivered and backed off.

"So what's going on?" Mihoshi asked with childish innocence. "Why didn't you want to marry Ayeka? She seems perfectly nice to me."

Ryoko choked trying to keep her mouth shut.

"Ayeka is my little sister," Yosho explained.

"But Ayeka always told me that marrying a sibling wasn't unusual on Jurai," Sasami insisted.

"If that was the case, why would she have to tell you that?" Yosho asked.

"That's right," Ryoko put her hand on her chin. "According to Ryo-ohki's memory, Ayeka told Tenchi the same thing the night they spent in the cabin. If it wasn't weird for a brother to marry a sister why would she have to tell him that? She wouldn't think an explanation was necessary would she?"

"The only reason why Ayeka and I were betrothed was because that was the only way to insure that my heir had a pure enough bloodline," Yosho frowned. "Not only that but it would keep the king's children together and under his influence. He wouldn't have to give away his little girl if she was marrying his son."

"Wow," Ryoko blinked. "When you put it that way it sounds kind of sick!"

"It _is_ kind of sick," Yosho nodded. "At least it was to me. I knew I couldn't go through with it when Ayeka was just a cute little toddler and she made me this adorable wreath out of golden holly. She was so eager to marry her big brother and all I could think of was how sick it would be to make love with my own sister! Ugh!" he shuddered. "It was then that I knew I had to leave and never come back."

"I thought you left because of the stigma of your half earthling heritage," Mihoshi protested.

"I admit the stigma of being only half-Juraian influenced my decision, but when I became king it wouldn't matter as much," Yosho shrugged. "I'd be the king, and any nay-sayers would just have to live with it. Besides, Lady Seto would have my back. No, the reason I left was no matter how beautiful Ayeka became as she grew up, every time I looked at her I saw that itsy-bitsy little girl in the garden. To me, she was always that toddler with the flowers, and I'd be damned if I was the one to deflower her!"

"What do you mean by that?" Sasami asked. "Are you talking naughty?"

"I'll explain it to you when you're old enough," Yosho grunted.

"When will that be?" Sasami asked with childish stubbornness.

"When you're eight hundred," the crown prince sighed.

"Damn!" Ryoko grunted. "Harsh! Poor Ayeka didn't stand a chance!"

"Did you love Airi back then?" Mihoshi asked.

"No, we hadn't even met at the time," Yosho sighed. "We met centuries later. As a matter of fact, _she_ was the one who found me. She was just a young detective 1st class, very much like you, my dear. The royal family was so grateful they allowed us to get married."

"Heh! Why did you marry her?" Washu asked slyly. "Trying to shut her up?"

"No I told you why I married her," Yosho shrugged rather testily. "We fell in love. We were young and stupid. That's the reason everyone falls in love."

"Boy, what a cynic," Ryoko sighed. "No wonder you disguise yourself as an old man. It suits you."

"I think so," Yosho smiled.

"Ooh," Mihoshi blinked in awe. Even wearing spectacles, when Yosho smiled he was so handsome.

"You know I never got around to examining you," Washu smiled mischievously. "It must be hard to get decent medical coverage without revealing that you're half alien. Why don't we go to my lab where I can give you a full physical? I've got lots of whip cream…"

"No thanks," Yosho shook his head as he aged thirty years before their eyes. "I have to go grout the tile today."

Ryoko childishly made a noise that sounded like a plane being shot down.

"Wow, I never thought of it that way," Sasami said. "I guess you avoided Ayeka all this time because you were trying to protect her. She built her whole life around you, Yosho."

"She needs to build a life around herself first," Katsuhito sighed. "Because the two of you spent seven hundred years in suspended animation she never got a chance to grow up and find out who _Ayeka_ is, the poor girl."

"Yeah, I guess I can relate," Ryoko mumbled. "My earliest memories are being Kagato's slave. I don't even remember my childhood, or even if I _have_ a childhood."

"The answers are right here," Washu smiled. "All you have to do is ask!"

"Like Yosho said, 'pass'," Ryoko snorted. She looked at Yosho who was now in his Katsuhito disguise. "Say old man, as long as you're being frank with us, why did you seal me in that cave? Why didn't you just finish me off seven hundred years ago?"

"Sealing you in the cave was the only way I could save your life," the once more old man replied.

"Save my life?" Ryoko blinked. "I thought you imprisoned me."

"That was the legend," Katsuhito chuckled. "It would hardly have been a decent story if it went 'the demon threw the fight and let the mighty warrior Yosho win' would it?"

"What?" Ryoko gasped. "I threw the fight? You're kidding me!"

"Of course," the Juraian prince shrugged. "How else do you think I was able to defeat you when you had all three of your gems? There were three people involved that fight, Ryoko. Yosho, Ryoko and the part of Kagato that had control over you. Lucky for me, Ryoko was on _my _side."

"I was on _your_ side?" Ryoko stammered. "I _let_ you win?"

"Yes," Katsuhito looked away. "You couldn't stand what Kagato made you do, and the legendary warrior Yosho looked like the best way out. I wanted _Funaho_ to channel her energy to allow me to heal you, but I'm afraid my tree can really hold a grudge. I finally sealed you in an underground shrine designed to channel the energy from the surrounding area. It took seven hundred years, but you finally got better. You don't know how happy I was when I saw your astral form watching over Tenchi. You didn't recognize me. I didn't see the creature that Kagato had forced you to be. Instead I saw the young woman that I used to have this terrible crush on."

"You? Lord Yosho? Had the hots for me?" Ryoko gasped. "But I attacked your planet! How could that be?"

"Like I said, I was young and stupid," Katsuhito shrugged. "When Kagato wasn't controlling you, you were wild and free, everything I wanted to be. I became a mighty warrior because I wanted to impress you. Instead you attacked my planet and we almost killed each other. You can see another reason why I couldn't go home. It was hard to look anyone who knew about you in the eye after that."

Ryoko stared speechless at the old man, correction: the fit and hale Juraian prince who only looked like an old man. Yosho? The one who stole her gems and trapped her in that awful cave? Had a crush on her? She had actually let Yosho win? Did she have feelings for him seven hundred years ago?

"Are… are you still interested in…?"

"Don't be silly, Ryoko," Katsuhito laughed bitterly. "I've done enough damage, don't you think? Tenchi was the one who went to you. No matter how much I scolded him, he couldn't stay away from that cave. He was drawn to you. That's why I started training him. I wanted Tenchi to make amends for all the mistakes that fool Yosho had done."

"Wow, you sound like you don't like your younger self," Sasami said.

"The legendary warrior Yosho was an idiot," the disguised Yosho chuckled ruefully. "Even now, that bonehead is still getting Tenchi and me into trouble. Between you and me, I like Katsuhito better. He's not a reckless fool like Yosho was. Sure he tells tall tales now and then, but what old man doesn't? Katsuhito isn't a bad guy once you get to know him."

"I still like you, Grandpa," Sasami hugged her older, now _much _older brother. "It doesn't matter whether you're Katsuhito or Yosho, you're still the best dad ever!"

"Just don't let our father hear that," he snorted as he patted the child's head. "I'm in the doghouse with him as it is already."

"Aw there-there," Sasami patted his arm.

"Wait a second," Ryoko protested. "If you liked me, how come the master key gave me shocks when I tried to touch it? With my gems in the hilt I should be as qualified to hold it as any member of the royal family!"

"Like I said, _Funaho_ holds a grudge," the old man shrugged once more. "I'm afraid my tree blamed you for all the horrible things that Kagato made you do. _Funaho really _had a hard time letting go of Sasami's accident while you were attacking Jurai."

"Oh," Ryoko paled as she looked at Sasami. "Oh. I'm sorry about that..."

"It wasn't you," the old man assured her. "Not really. If it was I'd be dead and not messing with your mind right now."

"Y… yeah," Ryoko blushed weakly. "Th-thanks, Yosho. Thanks for taking care of me. I never knew… Too bad _Funaho _is still mad at me."

"She's coming around," Katsuhito assured her, "and not all of Jurai's trees are mad at you. _Tsunami_ was always on your side. Who do you think pressured the Holy Council of Jurai to erase all records of your crimes? 'Statute of Limitations' my foot! When you have a goddess on your side, it's amazing how much pull you have with the Holy Council."

"Hey! I thought _I_ was the only one who could talk to Tsunami," Sasami said petulantly.

"When you're a priest for seven hundred years, you talk to God a lot," the old man smiled. "Sometimes She even answers."

"Wait a minute, my criminal record has been erased?" Ryoko asked. "All of it? Even the stuff I didn't do on Jurai?"

"That's right," Washu smiled. "Like it never happened. We've even managed to get a pardon for Ryo-ohki."

"Wow, you're a free girl, Ryo-ohki!" Sasami smiled at her little cabbit.

"Meow!" the cabbit jumped out of the child's arms and became a furry little toddler with long ears. "Mew!"

"That's right; you're a free woman and can show your face anywhere you want to!" Sasami laughed.

"I… I just thought that only Jurai had given me a pass," Ryoko gasped. "My criminal record… erased! Not pardoned, erased! The whole universe is willing to pretend it never happened! I… I… Thank you Sasami!" the cyan haired woman rose and hugged the little girl. "You're the best!"

"Aw… you're welcome Ryoko," Sasami hugged her back.

As the girls cooed at the touching scene, Katsuhito seized that moment to sneak away.

_Next: The Pain of Rejection_


	4. The Pain of Rejection

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Four: The Pain of Rejection_

Upstairs the first princess of Jurai was crying her eyes out in the room she shared with Sasami. A knock at the door broke her out of her funk long enough to croak, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Tenchi," the boy replied from the other side of the door. "Are you all right, Ayeka?"

"I… I… I'll be fine," she lied bravely. "Don't worry about me, Tenchi, finish your breakfast."

"I'm not hungry," the boy said to Ayeka's door. "And I get the feeling that you aren't either. I need someone to talk to, are you available?'

"To me?" The princess used a handkerchief to dry her eyes. "Y-you want to talk to _me_?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling kind of betrayed right now and I thought if I talked it over with someone I can trust I'd feel better," Tenchi explained from the other side of the door. To be honest he was worried about her and ashamed that he had confronted his grandfather in front of the girls instead of in private. It was his fault that Ayeka's feelings were crushed as much as Yosho's. Besides, he wasn't really lying, was he? Maybe they could help each other.

"I… I… don't know if I can help you Tenchi," Ayeka tried to choke back another sob. "I… I'm really too close to the problem you know…"

"Well then maybe you could talk to me," the boy offered. "It would help knowing that I'm not alone. That's not all in my head and I really do have some justification for the horrible way I acted. Come on, Ayeka, let me in, what do you say?"

"Oh… all right," she said weakly as she slid open the door.

"Are you all right?" Tenchi asked again when he saw the girl's tearstained cheeks.

"N-no," Ayeka sniveled. "Oh Tenchi, I don't want you to see me like this!"

"I've already seen you like this," Tenchi smiled. "Remember? When you first arrived? You were a mess, but you got better. You're not alone. I'm here. So is Sasami, Washu, Noike, and the rest of us. You'll get through this too."

"You… you don't understand," Ayeka sniffled. "Nobody does."

"You're right. If I did I would have kept my big mouth shut," Tenchi sighed. "Come on, Ayeka, we've all had difficult childhoods. We all carry our burdens. It's okay to share yours. That way I can tell you what's bugging me without looking like a whiner," he smiled at his self-deprecating joke.

Ayeka smiled weakly back. "All right," she nodded with a shaky voice. "I'll tell you. It's not just my brother. I've accepted the fact that he moved on a long time ago. Besides, I'm not a little girl anymore."

Seeing the slender and baby-faced Ayeka with tearstained cheeks made Tenchi doubt that statement, but he nodded politely for her to continue.

"N-no," she shuddered. "He's not the problem. The problem is the rest of my family. Yosho was found centuries ago. He married Airi, as well as a bunch of women on Earth who didn't survive to the present day," she grumbled. "I understand. I get that. The point is that Yosho, the lost prince was found. He was found centuries ago. So why didn't anyone contact _Ryo-oh_ and tell me?"

"Ah," Tenchi started in realization.

"Doesn't my family love me?" Ayeka moaned. "My brother Yosho wanted to get away from me. I accept that. He never wanted to see me again for as long as he lived. I don't have to like it but I can accept it." She looked at Tenchi with glistening eyes. "But w-why didn't they call me back? D-doesn't my mother and father still love me? My mother forces me to call her 'Mommy' as if I was a little child, and she couldn't even contact _Ryo-oh_ and call the search off? When you met my parents, father _ordered_ Sasami and me to return to Jurai but he couldn't bother to call us centuries ago and tell us that Yosho had been found? I don't understand it."

"That's… uh… that's a good one," Tenchi nodded uncomfortably. "Maybe they couldn't contact you. Have you tried asking them?"

"If they couldn't contact me how come I had to go to bed on time when I was interrogating Ryoko?" Ayeka frowned.

"Um… you lost me," Tenchi shook his head.

Ayeka blushed, or maybe her face was red from all her crying. "When I was interrogating Ryoko one of the _Ryo-oh's_ units interrupted by telling me that I had to go to bed on orders of the queen. _Ryo-oh_ is bonded to _me_. So how could my mother have influence over the ship's interior units unless she could contact us?"

"Uh… you got me," Tenchi stammered. "Isn't she the head of the Royal Bodyguard or something? Maybe all the Jurai ships are programmed to take care of her little girls and since you were in stasis it never got updated. I dunno. Have you asked your mother about that?"

"Have you tried talking to my mother about anything?" the princess asked wryly. "When she's around it's hard to get a word in edgewise!"

Tenchi blushed, remembering the emotional, over-affectionate woman with the strength of Hercules. "You got a point…" A thought hit him. "What about Funaho? She's like a second mother isn't she? She knows Misaki batter than anyone. She's like a general or something right? She'd know what's going on with the Jurai ships if anyone would."

"I'm afraid to call them," Ayeka admitted miserably. "I'm afraid that Sasami and I will be called home. Now I'm afraid that they don't really want us. That they don't really want me…" Ayeka hid her face in her hands as a sob wracked her body. "Oh Tenchi! What if nobody wants me? Yosho didn't want me, my parents don't want me, and I know that deep down you don't want me! Nobody does!"

"Don't say that!" Tenchi put an arm around her. "You don't know that!"

"Yes I do!" Ayeka cried as she pushed him away. "There's no way you would choose a spoiled brat like me when there are so many others to choose from! I don't have a chance! I mean, look at my first impression. I ordered Azaka and Kamadake to put you to death!"

"I was in your bedroom," Tenchi chuckled ruefully. "Heck I think I was straddling your body when you woke up. When you put it that way, you showed an awful amount of restraint!"

Ayeka laughed. "You're right. Years from now, we'll look back on it and laugh!" Then she sobered. "But Tenchi, I was so awful afterwards. You reached out to me and I slapped your face. I was horrible!"

"It's not your fault," he assured her. "That crazy young man pretending to be a crazy old man messed both of us up since childhood! He may have been a brave warrior, but he didn't have the guts to sit you down and say, 'Ayeka I love you, but it isn't going to work.'"

"Nobody loves me," Ayeka sniveled. "It isn't going to work between us is it Tenchi? I just know; I just know it isn't going to work! Nobody does! I'm the biggest brat in the universe! My shrewishness is known the galaxy over!"

"Come on, stop saying that," he chided. "Stop beating yourself up."

"Thank you for trying to help Tenchi," she said as she stood up straight, "but I think this is something I'm going to have to work through by myself."

"You're not by yourself," Tenchi corrected. "My dad and grandfather are lying to me about what really happened to my mother. Ryoko was abused as a child for over a thousand years. Sasami died and was assimilated by a goddess pretending to be both a tree and a spaceship, and something happened to Mihoshi that made her go from the being one of the Galaxy Police's best to being one their worst. We all have scars and burdens Ayeka. We know where you're coming from. You aren't alone. Not anymore." He left to let her absorb what he said and give her a chance to compose herself.

* * *

In the kitchen, Noike was helping Sasami wash the dishes.

"Are you all right, Noike?" the child princess asked. "You seem kind of out of it today."

"I'm fine," the emerald haired beauty assured her. "I'm just having another of my headaches again. I think I'm allergic to something on this planet."

"Maybe you should go rest," Sasami suggested. "I can handle things here. I did before you arrived you know."

"That's just disgraceful," Noike snorted. "How dare they make the youngest one do all the work! Those girls should be ashamed of themselves! I think it's time to teach Ayeka and Ryoko to wash the dishes."

"Mihoshi could help out." The idea of both Ayeka and Ryoko handling fragile dishes while being in the same room didn't appeal to Sasami.

"That blonde bubblehead?" the pointy eared enchantress sneered. "She'd break every dish!"

"Noike that's mean!" Sasami scolded. "Mihoshi has been helping out ever since she arrived here and learns how do to housework very fast! I don't think you're being fair to her!"

"I'm sorry, Sasami," Noike apologized. "It wasn't fair to me that I was assigned as her partner. I had to quit a perfectly good career with the Galaxy Police you know. I couldn't take it. She was impossible. I hear they finally installed an artificial intelligence aboard Yukanojo since she couldn't keep a partner longer than three weeks."

"I think you're being mean," Sasami insisted. "Mihoshi is so kind and she always has a smile on her face."

"I know," Noike shuddered.

"She always helps out around here and she never causes trouble."

"I notice she has trouble landing her shuttle," Noike sneered.

"It's hard without a landing beacon!" Sasami stamped her foot. "She's trying the best that she can! She's just tops until she goes into outer space. That's when she has trouble."

"Or writes home," Noike added. "The letters she sent back to her family made them declare war on us."

"That wasn't her fault," Sasami repeated. "Our family can get overprotective too you know."

* * *

Later, Ayeka found the strength to come downstairs. When she had first arrived she had shut herself in her room for a week. The purple-haired princess was determined not to humiliate herself by doing the same thing now. Even so, she avoided the housemates and crept out to the fields. She still wasn't a hundred percent ready to face everyone but she had to show herself that she had grown since she came to Earth.

Tenchi was working in the garden. The poor boy was slaving away as usual, doing his best to ignore the fact that so many in his family seemed to be liars and hypocrites.

Well not this one! Ayeka decided. She would break the pattern and be bigger than that. She cleared her throat to get his attention. "Ahem."

He turned his head. "Oh, Princess Ayeka. Feeling better?"

"Thank you for your counsel, Tenchi," she said stiffly. "You're right of course. I'm not alone. Yosho lied to both of us. Your father is keeping things from you just the same as mine must be keeping things from me. I have nothing to complain about. If my family doesn't want me I'll just move away and get a new one. That will show them," she burst into laughter. "Oh listen to me! I'm so silly!" she blushed.

"Yeah," Tenchi looked up into the sky. "Me too. So much has happened since you got here. I've discovered that my ancestors come from an alien planet, that girls from outer space have superpowers and that three goddesses are trying to make me become God. Life is strange isn't it?"

"What was that last part?" asked a puzzled Ayeka. "What's this about you becoming a god?"

"Tokimi, Washu and Tsunami are the triple goddesses who rule the universe," Tenchi explained. "Maybe more universes than this one. I dunno. This whole thing has been a huge experiment as they try to find someone who will turn into a divine being. One that's even more powerful than they are. I don't really understand it all."

"Tenchi, where did you get this from?" Ayeka shook her head. "What are you talking about? Who is Tokimi? And since when did you and Washu become gods? You two are powerful, but you have your limits."

"Don't you remember when Z attacked the Earth?" Tenchi frowned. "He split the Earth in half. He cut _me_ in half I think! I had a near death experience and talked to a shadow that was probably myself. I rescued Kagato's female half from in the past and Washu joined her with Noike. The three goddesses revealed themselves and told us that it was all some big experiment to find the most powerful being in the universe. Don't you remember all that?"

"Uh…" Ayeka squinted as she tried to remember. "It does sound _vaguely _familiar… Let me think…"

"Z?" Tenchi repeated. "Remember him? The weird guy with the purple eyeball who tried to kill me, blew the Earth in half, summoned the entity called the 'Counter-actor' that looked a lot like your mom and challenged the three goddesses? Him? When the three goddesses reset the timeline Tokimi recreated him as an infant and sent him back in time where his planet wouldn't get destroyed and he could grow up living a normal life or something like that? I still don't have it clear…"

"Um…" Ayeka shook her head. "That sounds _vaguely_ familiar… but I really can't quite… recall…"

"Forget it," Tenchi sighed. "Nobody seems to remember it anymore. Ryoko was right out there in space with me and she's having a hard time too. I don't understand it. How could anyone forget something like that?"

"I… I… don't know…" Ayeka said suspiciously. "I can't quite remember it… Tenchi. You said something about the timeline being reset?"

"Yes, so none of that would happen," Tenchi nodded. "For some reason Mihoshi's brother attacked us with his giant golf ball but thankfully Z never showed up again. I guess that part went right."

"If none of that happened, how come you still remember it?" Ayeka asked him. "Does anyone else remember it, or is it all in your mind?"

Tenchi's face reddened at the implication. "Now wait a minute! This isn't just in my mind! You all used to remember but for some reason you don't anymore! I was talking to Ryoko about it a while back but yesterday she could barely remember it! Is everybody losing their memory but me?"

"Why don't you talk to Washu about it?" Ayeka suggested. "She's the greatest scientific genius in the universe. She would be able to determine whether someone messed with the timeline or whether this is all in your head." When Tenchi frowned at her she added. "Tenchi, you have to know. Maybe what you're saying is true. Maybe it isn't. You need to find out don't you? Compared to the whole Z business, maybe what happened to your mother can wait."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Tenchi sighed. Now the princess thought he was losing his mind. Like anybody wouldn't after everything he had been through. It was hard enough coping with being a half-blood prince from another planet without the whole 'god' thing hanging over his head. If his memory was accurate, Washu was one of the architects of this whole mess and should be able to explain things.

_Next: Washu's Confession_


	5. Washu's Confession

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Five: __Washu's Confession _

Tenchi always dreaded entering Washu's laboratory without a chaperone. When she playfully referred to him as her 'guinea pig' she wasn't just being poetic. Her entire purpose for living on Earth seemed to be to study Tenchi and divine the power of the lighthawk wings. And she preferred to study him by tying him up and stripping him to his underwear. Steeling himself for another 'examination', Tenchi entered Washu's laboratory. "Do you have a moment, Little Washu?"

"Of course, Tenchi, what can I do for you?" little genius replied.

"I'm sorry I got so upset at breakfast today," Tenchi apologized.

"That's okay," Washu shrugged. "Everybody has the right to blow off steam once and a while. Sometimes I think that you have the patience of Job."

Tenchi held his breath, and then spoke. "Do you think that I'm the 'serious type', little Washu?"

"There's nothing wrong with being the 'serious type,' Tenchi," Washu assured him. "Although I think that it can be quite a burden to someone so young."

"Grandpa said that I was the 'serious type, just like my mother,'" The boy explained as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Well it's only natural for him to compare you to your mother…"

"No, you don't understand," Tenchi broke in. "He said that I was the serious type. Just like my mother. My mother, who was supposed to be the practical joker."

"Oh yeah… that," Washu sighed. She had hoped to downplay Katsuhito's _faux pas_.

"That's right," Tenchi nodded. "For years he's told people that I'm the serious type, just like my mother. My mother who was supposed to be the practical joker. Who was so irresponsible that Reiko had to take care of me. My mother who was borderline crazy. My mother who supposedly died of old age, despite the fact that her father looks like he's pushing thirty."

"Oh Tenchi…" Washu moaned sadly.

"Why are they still lying to me?" the boy whined. "I don't understand it! Aren't I old enough to know the truth yet? Even Tennyo is in on it! Dad and Grandpa, and Tennyo! They're all in on it! They won't tell me the truth! Why not? How old do I gotta be to know the truth? A hundred?"

"Maybe they think that the truth would hurt you Tenchi," Washu suggested.

"Would hurt me?" Tenchi frowned skeptically. "And having them lie to me isn't hurting me? How am I supposed to trust them?"

"Tenchi, they have your best interests at heart," the redhead assured him.

"How do _you_ know?" Tenchi growled. "Are you in on it too?"

"No, I just know that a parent always wants what is best for their child," Washu responded with patience and understanding.

The boy shook his head. "Not every parent. Some are twisted and selfish…"

"And if your family was like that you would have turned out horrible!" Washu snapped. "We both know that's not true so don't even go there!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Tenchi sighed. "It's just so frustrating to be lied to. To be lied to by the ones you trust the most."

"I'm sure that it hurt them to lie to you," Washu said enigmatically.

"It's Grandpa's fault, I know it," the boy grumbled. "He ran away from home and didn't tell Ayeka who he was when she arrived here. She was out of her mind with grief thinking that he was dead. How could he do that to her?"

"It may surprise you to find out that nobody's perfect Tenchi," Washu nodded with gentle sarcasm.

"Well I expect better of him!" Tenchi snapped. "He's my mentor, my idol. I've looked up to him my entire life and now…"

"Now you discover that he's only human, is that it?" Washu put her hands on her hips. "That he wanted to leave Jurai to be a normal man and live a simple life. To get away from his parents and remake himself into the man he chooses to be, not the one he was born to be."

"That's still no excuse to lie to Ayeka!" a red faced Tenchi insisted. "The whole extraterrestrial thing may have been too much for me, but she was his sister, and his fiancé, for crying out loud! She deserved closure, not wasting seven hundred years in hibernation looking for him…"

"Your grandfather only wanted to protect you, Tenchi," Washu said softly. "And Ayeka too, for that matter. He thought that time and ignorance would be enough to protect you from yourselves."

"Why are you making excuses for him?" frowned an irritated Tenchi.

"I'm not making excuses for _him_, Tenchi," Washu admitted guilty. "I'm making excuses for _me_."

"What?"

"Why do you suppose that I take the form of a child, Tenchi?" The genius' green eyes seemed to bore into Tenchi's soul. "With my scientific knowhow, I could take the form of a woman, or a robot, or a starship for that matter…"

"That's right… That whole 'Chousin Goddess' thing."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to mention that?" She scolded irritably. "That was revealed in an alternate timeline and if you keep talking about it we'll never forget it!"

"What are you talking about?" asked a confused Tenchi. "I tried talking about it to Ayeka had she had a hard time remembering it at all!"

"The others forget erased timelines a lot faster than _we_ do," a serious Washu explained. "They wouldn't be able to remember at all if Mihoshi's brother hadn't attacked us again. I still don't understand why she sent that letter in the first place. She knew better at the time."

"I know," the boy scratched his head. "Ryoko insists that she stopped her."

"As I was saying," the little redhead cleared her throat. "_We_ are different, aren't we Tenchi? The rest of them should forget an erased timeline in a few weeks, but even without reminders, it will take you and me months to years to completely forget an alternate timestream. But if we talk about it in this timeline, no temporal effect will erase this conversation, and that could allow us to remember what happened when Z attacked and the three goddesses were forced to reveal themselves…"

"Thanks for reminding me, I've been meaning to ask you…" he stopped when he saw the angry look on the petite scientist's face. "Don't look at me like that, little Washu, you've brought this on yourself. It concerns free will…"

"Oy," the redhead groaned.

"Do I have any free will?" the boy asked pointblank. "Am I in control of my own destiny? Or am I just a pawn for the three of you? Am I destined to be your mate or your parent? Is the future preordained? What about Ryoko? Did she have to suffer at the hands of Kagato the way she did? As a goddess, couldn't you have done something? Little Washu?"

"I asked if you knew why I took the form of a child, didn't I Tenchi?" replied a miserable Washu. "Think about it. Why take the form of a child? Why would I do that? Especially if my ultimate purpose was, as you say, to discover a mate for my sisters and me?"

"Um…"

"It's strange, isn't it?" Washu continued. "I took the form of a child. After meeting you face to face, Lady Tokimi did the same thing. The almighty Lady Tokimi is now Little Tokimi."

"I don't see how that…"

"Even Tsunami," the genius continued without letting the boy get a word in edgewise. "As a goddess she can become many things, including many things at once. A guardian spirit, the first tree, a spaceship, even a child… She really outdid us, Tenchi. She didn't just take the form of a child. She became one. For real. By assimilating with Sasami, Tsunami is able to actually _be_ a child, not just experience childhood."

"Is that fair to Sasami?" Tenchi broke in.

"No." the short scientist shook her head. "Even saving Sasami's life doesn't make up for it. But think about it from the goddess' side of it. She can become anything in the universe, Tenchi. Anything in any universe. What's the one thing she can't become? The one thing that is impossible by definition for her to be?"

"What?"

"Innocent," Washu's green eyes were moist as if she was holding back tears. "No matter what happens, we will never be innocent, Tenchi. We can fake it. We can transform ourselves so that we think we are innocent. We can will ourselves to forget the cosmic truths of infinity and our place in it, but can we ever truly know what it is like to be innocent?"

"I…"

"Think about it, Tenchi!" she advanced on him as he backed away. "Everyone in the world who has ever lived has an excuse for what they've done. 'I didn't know better.' Even Hitler. Even the guys who dropped the atomic bombs on your little island. But Tokimi, Tsunami and I don't have that excuse. Oh we can justify ourselves by talking about the big picture, or the whole ball of wax, and know that it was necessary, but that doesn't excuse what we've done. It explains it, but it doesn't excuse it."

"Little Washu, I…"

"Think about it Tenchi," Washu said sadly. "We had all of creation… All of every universe and every dimension. And what did we do? We fomented chaos in all of eternity. All of creation has known strife, chaos, and instability. Do you know what that means?"

"Well it…"

"Oh, I know what you are about to say," Washu droned on in a world of her own. "'Life can't exist without chaos.' 'Entropy is absolute order.' 'Chaos is necessary in order to encourage new creation.' Is that what you were about to say?"

"No, I was about to say that…"

"Well it's not good enough!" Washu shouted with venom. "Sentient beings can make their own mistakes without our encouragement! We let _billions_ of intelligent lifeforms die, Tenchi! Entire species. Entire worlds. We could have stopped it. 'Acts of God?' Ha! Acts of Goddesses!" Washu waved her arms as she walked in circles about the lab. "Goddesses who decided that their own agenda is more important than the fate of countless worlds! _Worlds_, Tenchi! Entire worlds have lived and died! Zillions of beings were used as pawns or lab animals in our quest for a male counterpart! Entire civilizations have come and gone, been created and then cast aside by three all-powerful superbeings that knew better! Who were so all knowing and all-powerful that they knew _exactly_ what they were doing and what it would cost! Do you have _any_ idea the responsibility that I have to endure every second that I remember that I am one of the three Chousin goddesses?"

"It never seemed to bother you before…" he muttered lamely.

"That is because one of the benefits of being a superior being is unbelievable self-control," Washu snapped. "I can _choose_ whether or not I want to have an emotional breakdown. Do you see what that makes me?"

"No actually, I don't," the boy wished he hadn't brought up the 'Chousin Goddess' thing in the first place. "I could have sworn we were talking about my grandfather a moment ago…"

Washu didn't let it go. Now that she was baring her soul, she wasn't going to stop until she was finished. "Tenchi, when I am in goddess form, I perceive my actions through the filter of infinite power and understanding. I know why we did what we did and allowed what happened, what's happening, and what's going to happen to happen. But when I assume the form of a limited mortal being, with limited mortal perception and understanding, how do you suppose I interpret everything that I know we have allowed to transpire?"

"Let me get back to you on that?" the boy stammered as he searched for a way to flee the lab without looking like an uncaring coward.

"Tenchi, even when I'm a measly mortal, I'm still the greatest genius in the universe," Washu sighed in resignation. "I can figure it out. I can fill in the blanks. And when I realize that everything bad that happened, is ever going to happen, and is happening right now is either our fault or could have been prevented, just what am I supposed to make of that?"

"Erm…"

"Tenchi, to a mortal being, what I've allowed to happen is inexcusable," Washu said as she turned away. "Especially when one realizes that I knew exactly what the consequences would be. I can't pretend that I didn't know or perceive the pain and suffering that I would allow to happen all over the universes. I can't plead ignorance when confronted with what I've allowed to happen to you, to Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami and the others. What I've allowed to happen to your mom and dad and grandparents. I could have stopped it, we could have stopped it, but we allowed it to happen…"

"Little Washu…"

"What I'm trying to say is that this is all our fault," Washu told him. "My fault and Tsunami's fault, and Tokimi's fault. It's our fault your mother died when you were a child, Tenchi. Your loss is part of what makes you 'you'. Part of what makes you the incredible person you've become. Do you see?"

"The person I've become," Tenchi repeated. "Is my potential to be a god the reason why women from other planets are so attracted to me? Is that the reason _you_ love me?"

Washu turned to hide the tears coming out of her eyes. She wiped her face with a handkerchief, composed herself and then turned back to address the boy. "You want to know the truth?"

"Yes please," Tenchi nodded respectfully.

"Ryoko fell in love with you because you were the first person she knew could see her astral form. Even when you lost the ability to see her she still obsessed over you and rebuilt her entire personality by studying you. Problem is, you grew up and _she_ didn't."

"When Ayeka first arrived you were the only one who tried to reach her despite the fact that she kept pushing you away. You helped her adjust to the idea that she might not find her brother and might not ever get home. You gave her hope that even if her whole other life was lost to her she could build a new one here with you. When Yosho was revealed, she decided that that new life with you was her best option.

"You're the strongest male role model in Sasami's life right now. To her eyes you're old enough to be dad, but young enough to be her brother. You're gentle and understanding and brave. It's only natural for her to have a childish crush on you.

"Speaking of childish crushes, when Mihoshi first arrived, you rescued her from falling to her death. Then she woke up and found out you were a handsome prince. Then she actually met you, and discovered that her handsome prince was a sweet, down-to-earth everyday guy instead of somebody who's too good for her. You tell _me_ why she likes you."

"When Noike met you she knew who you were. Possibly the most physically powerful being in the universe. Power is sexy, Tenchi. And when that power is humble like yours is, it can even be lovable.

"And as for me…" Washu closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling. "When I first saw you use the lighthawk wings I knew I had to make you mine. I was filled with a desire that I hadn't felt in millennia. Now that I know I'm a goddess, and what the power of the lighthawk wings really means, I'm ashamed of myself. I think you're right Tenchi." The little genius faced him with glistening eyes. "I think that my celestial sisters and I have been looking for a mate all this time. All this time I thought my love was real and it turns out to be divine and eternal manipulation combined with cosmic biological instinct! Oh Tenchi I'm so ashamed!" she cried with melodramatic tears. "What must you think of me?" she sniveled as she hugged him. To Tenchi's surprise, the greatest scientific genius in the universe and one of the three goddesses who ruled over all creation was crying like a little schoolgirl as she buried her face in his chest.

_Next: Just Forget It_


	6. Just Forget It

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Six: Just Forget It _

Tenchi hesitantly put his arms around the tearful Washu. She was normally a gal who could laugh in the face of both danger and tragedy. This time she was a vulnerable and distraught girl, and no wonder! The actions of others, no matter how heinous, she could laugh at, but could she really forgive her own sins? If she blamed the chaotic state of the universes on herself, no wonder she was so forgiving to the villains from outer space, no matter _what_ they did!

"Hey," he said as he hugged the distraught child-goddess. "You're human now, you only need to take on human burdens right? Okay, maybe you did use all of time and space for your own purposes, but you assumed human form and blanked your memory didn't you? You're down here with the rest of us paying your dues. You've experienced our joys and our sorrows just like we have right?" He wracked his brain for an example of humanity's humiliations that she experienced. "You, uh, know what constipation and indigestion is just like everybody else right?"

Washu giggled as she wiped the tears out of her face. "Oh Tenchi, that's so silly!"

"Give me a few centuries, I'll get wittier," he winked. "I'm sorry Washu. I never realized the awesome responsibility you must be under. So, uh, before you forget that you're a goddess, could you answer my question? Do I have free will? Or is my destiny preordained?"

"I don't _know _since I'm not in my 'super powerful divine' form right now," Washu sighed. "But I'd _guess_ that you might be the only mortal being in the universe who can actually choose his own destiny right now. Two out of three goddesses are in love with you, and are too ashamed of themselves to mess with your destiny anymore. Your potential to become greater even than the three goddesses means that not even they can predict your destiny. Everyone in close proximity to you will be affected by your choices so nobody can determine their destinies either. It looks like you and the girls have free will."

Tenchi sighed in relief. "Thanks Washu. I know I have a great future in front of me but it scares the hell out of me right now. Maybe in a hundred years or so I'll be able to face it… or at least some of it. But not right now."

"Don't worry about it, you've got plenty of time," Washu assured him. "You don't even have to be a prince of Jurai right now. Take a few decades off until you can cope with it. Nobody's pressuring you."

"Thanks Washu," Tenchi smiled.

"Don't mention it," the redhead smiled. "Everybody was a kid once…" she stopped and frowned in disappointment. "Except me of course. I always existed didn't I? I was never a kid really, was I? Not in the conventional sense…"

"Maybe you were," Tenchi said. "When Z summoned the being he called the 'Counter-actor', it looked like Misaki, Ayeka and Sasami's mother. Tsunami even referred to her as 'Mother'! Then a giant Tenchi Masaki showed up and embraced her. The Counter-actor went from 'destroy the universe' to 'lovey-dovey'. Does that mean I'm your dad? Are the three of you looking for a mate, or are you looking for a father so the three of you can exist in the first place?"

"Wow! That would be so _weird!_ I never thought of that!" Washu's green eyes opened wide in shock before they narrowed in irritation. "Mainly because I'm attempting to _forget _all about it! Will you quit bringing up cosmic truths we're not supposed to know about? Unless you're sick of being a teenage earthling and would rather be an all-powerful super being who makes the Chousin goddesses look like a bunch of wimpy little girlie-girls?"

"No!" Tenchi smiled and backed away in mock fear. "Oh no! Don't worry about that! Not quite ready for that! Not yet! Gonna be a while! Don't worry!"

"Good, then let's erase this entire conversation," the genius grunted as she walked over to a clear area in the floor and clapped her hands. A hexagonal table surrounded by control panels rose out of the floor to dominate the room. "The sooner we erase our memories the better!"

"Wait a minute Washu," Tenchi implored her. "Something just occurred to me…"

"What now?" the little carrot top whined irritably.

"What if I turn out bad?" Tenchi asked quietly with glistening eyes. "What if I abuse my power? 'Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. Even without the whole 'god' thing as a Juraian prince I could live for centuries! What if I change? What if I become somebody I don't like? I could hurt a lot of people!"

"You've been watching _Revenge of the Sith _again haven't you?" Washu asked dryly.

"Think about it, Washu!" Tenchi shuddered. "What's to stop me from being like Z or Kagato? All it takes is two bullets and I could be the king of Jurai! What kind of ruler would I be? What if I go crazy and become a despot? What if I execute everybody who looks at me funny? Now imagine that nutjob becoming a _god_! A god who is even greater than the three Chousin goddesses!"

"You're not going to become Kagato, Tenchi," Washu told him.

"_You_ trusted _Kagato_ in the past," Tenchi pointed out, "and _he_ betrayed you. How can you be so sure with me?"

"Because unlike Kagato, _you _are worrying about it," Washu smiled sadly. "Deep down, you don't want to misuse your power. You're terrified at the thought of fomenting chaos throughout all the universes," she looked away sadly, "unlike a few goddesses I could mention, who did that on purpose." She looked back and smiled kindly at the boy. "You aren't going to abuse your powers, Tenchi. You're better than that."

"Says you," Tenchi grumbled stubbornly. "You heard what I said to grandpa this morning! He's my grandfather…"

"And he lied to you," Washu finished. "So you lost your temper, so what? You yelled at him, you didn't cut him in half."

"Amagaski," Tenchi sighed. "The day I met Ryoko I punched him out. I punched him in the face just because he said something rude to get my attention."

"What did he say?"

"He asked me if I slept with a mummy," Tenchi sighed.

Washu put her hand over her mouth and giggled.

"I was ignoring him at the time," Tenchi explained. "We were shooting the breeze and then I spaced out and totally ignored him. He shook me and said the most outrageous thing he could think of. And I punched him out. He's my friend. I've known him for years. I punched him out and told him to get a life. What kind of a friend is that?"

"A fallible human being?" the redhead guessed.

"Don't give me that," Tenchi frowned. "I've got the potential to become the most powerful being that ever existed! I'm can't afford to give in to my negative impulses anymore! Sure it starts with punching out a friend for no reason, but then it goes to lashing out at those you love, and before you know it you're out there destroying planets and putting people to death! Soon there's going to be a kid with lighthawk wings that will have to take _me_ down, or the entire galaxy will perish! I know the score! I'm not stupid!"

"Tenchi, don't you think you're overreacting?" Washu asked condescendingly.

"I wish I was!" Tenchi shuddered. "Some of the most beautiful and powerful women in the galaxy would do anything for me! I could become a lecherous spoiled brat! In a few centuries, I'll just expect people to be nice to me, no matter what I do! I've got to nip this in the bud before I go out of control!"

"You seem a little out of control already," Washu nodded wryly.

"What am I going to do!" the boy shouted.

"Tenchi, if you ever need advice on not abusing your abilities, come to me day or night," Washu nodded. "Even before the whole 'goddess' thing was revealed, I still exercised self-control. For example, I never tried to really seduce you."

"Uh, what about the whole 'sperm sample' incident?" Tenchi asked her.

Washu broke out laughing. "Oh _that_? That doesn't count! I can do a lot better than _that_ I assure you! I've been trying to get your attention, but I've been playing fair. You've only seen a taste of what I can do!"

"What do you mean?" Tenchi's courage seemed to leave him.

Washu faced him. Not 'little Washu' who seemed to be an eleven-year-old child, but _Washu _who appeared as a twenty-five year-old beauty. "Tenchi, I've been a mortal woman for over twenty thousand years," she said in a husky voice. "By now I must know _something_ about winning a guy's heart…"

"Er, uh… yeah…" Tenchi stammered stupidly.

Washu was her eleven-year-old self again, but her voice still held sinful promise. "I don't even need a developed body to get what I want, Tenchi," she purred seductively as she sauntered over to him. "I could get a one night stand or a lifelong commitment out of any man I want. All I need to do is put some thought into it and… try…" She pursed her lips as she ran her finger across his chest. "Don't let my cute and innocent appearance fool you," she said as her voice went back to normal. "I've been around the block a few times, trust me."

Tenchi let out a breath he had been holding. Somehow even as a child, she had gotten his heart racing and his knees weak! How could just a little kid fill him with such desire? It wasn't like she was a buxom beauty in a bathing suit or anything! She looked like a child and was dressed as she always had!

"W-wow," he shuddered weakly as he staggered backwards. "Uh…"

"Give yourself a moment," Washu said as she went back to her apparatus and started unfolding some mechanical arms from the top of it.

"What happened to me just now?" the boy demanded. "Did you use your mental powers on me?"

"Mental powers? HA!" Washu crowed as her usual obnoxious self. "You wish! Didn't you listen to me? You're a lonely, horny kid and I'm a beautiful super genius who has more experience than Mihoshi has brain cells! I don't need mental powers to seduce a teenage boy! That stuff is for amateurs!"

Tenchi nodded as he turned away. A thought entered his mind causing him to turn back to her. "Washu…?" he asked awkwardly as his face burned bright red. "If you feel this way about me, why didn't you ever…"

"Would it be fair to Ryoko, my own daughter, the one who rebuilt her entire identity around you?" Washu asked without turning around. "Would it be fair to Ayeka who feels rejected by her own family? Or to Sasami, who is afraid of the same thing because she doesn't know if she's the real Sasami or not? Would it be fair to any of those girls? Would it be fair to _you_?"

"To me?"

"You're less than two decades old, Tenchi," Washu stood up but still didn't turn to face him. "Two decades. You're still deciding who you are. I, on the other hand could be anyone I want, anybody _you_ want, to get you to fall in love with me. To get you to commit your life to one woman for all eternity and never look back."

She turned to look over her shoulder at him. "Could I _really_ do that to the man I love? Now that I know about the whole 'goddess' thing I realize that my sisters and I have been manipulating you from the get go. There's no _way_ I'm going to take your free will away from you now. Not anymore. I'm going to play it fair and square even if I lose you. Even if you decide to eventually die just like everybody else does and never become the god we've been seeking. I love you Tenchi and I'm willing to risk losing you if that's what makes you happy. If that's what makes you the person you want to be. So yeah, I know about self-control and how tempting it is to abuse your abilities. If you need to talk it over with someone, my door is always open."

Tenchi laughed self-consciously. "Looks like it will be a while before I become all-powerful and all-knowing huh?"

"Yup, looks like," Washu nodded nonchalantly. "As long as you're here, let me show you how to erase your memory with my machine. With psyches as strong as ours, the usual ways don't really work that well."

"Erase our memories?" Tenchi repeated.

"Sure," Washu shrugged. "Even if you put that god stuff out of your mind, you're going to be up all night obsessing about the seductive Washu I gave you a glimpse of. If you're like any other boy your age, by morning you'll be on your hands and knees hoping that I'll turn on the charm and give you some more. For the sake of your sanity and the peace of the household this whole conversation has got to go. I'll erase my memory first, then you go…"

"But I don't _want_ to erase my memory!" Tenchi insisted. "I'm having trouble remembering the alternate timeline as it is! I'll never be able to make sense of it…"

"That's the idea," Washu nodded sternly. "Right now that knowledge is just a burden. You'll never be able to decide who you really are with all that garbage in your head."

"But Washu, I've got to be careful…"

"I had a feeling you'd feel this way. That's why I'm going to show you how to operate this so you'll be able to choose exactly how much of your memory you want to lose and when." She placed what appeared to be a chrome old style hairdryer on her head. The helmet was even connected to the apparatus by a thick hose. "The best teacher is experience," she told him. "So I'm going to let you operate the machine for me so you'll know how to use it in case you decide you don't need the weight of the universe on your shoulders."

"Okay, what do I do?" Tenchi said as he moved to the control console.

"Okay, put in the time you came in here under the first field and for the second leave 'the present'. That's the default. It will keep moving forward to stay current as we go."

"Okay, got it," Tenchi said after he hit a few keys. "Now what?"

"Let's add something else to the mix," Washu smirked. "Let's say that I want to read all the _Harry Potter_ novels all over again. Type 'Harry Potter' into the field on the right and when this conversation is erased, I'll have no memory of the Boy who Lived. I'll be able to enter the magical world of Hogwarts as if it was the first time!"

"Okay, I've put in 'Harry Potter'," Tenchi said. "Now what?"

"Just press 'Enter' and we can take my helmet off," Washu shrugged. "Oh yeah, before you do that I want to remind you not to mention this conversation afterwards, okay? The whole 'I'm secretly a goddess' thing is just too much of my identity to be erased permanently by a mere machine. If you mention it, my mind is so powerful that it will probably all come back to me. It'd be different if it was something trivial, like what we had for breakfast, but this…"

"I understand," Tenchi nodded. "Are you ready, Washu?"

"Sure thing, sweetie-pie!" the little genius smiled. "Unless you want to do the nasty with me first! Then we can erase our memories and neither one of us will remember that any… thing… happened!"

"Er, uh… no thanks, Washu," Tenchi blushed. "I think I'll wait until my graduation party before I do something that stupid, okay?"

"Suit yourself," Washu smiled. "Okay, do it!"

Tenchi hit the Enter key. "There I've done it," he said as he walked over to the little genius and took her helmet off. "Are you okay, Washu?"

"Oh!" Washu seemed surprised. "Hi Tenchi!"

"I said I've done it," Tenchi repeated. "Are you all right?"

"Done what?" the little genius asked.

"Erased your memory," the boy explained.

"What?" Washu frowned angrily. "You erased my memory? What did you do that for?"

"Because you told me to," Tenchi explained helplessly.

"What?" Washu shook her head in disbelief. "Why did I do that?"

"Now wait!" snarled an indignant Tenchi. You told me not to mention our conversation…"

"What conversation?" asked an accusing Washu.

"And you didn't want to remember Harry Potter…" the boy continued.

"Harry Potter? Who's he?" Washu snapped.

"Oh this is going to take all day," the boy grumbled testily. "I'm outta here. Just forget it!"

"It sounds like I already did!" the redhead shouted at the boy's retreating back. "And it sounds like that it's all your fault! We didn't fool around before you erased my memory did we? Tenchi?"

The boy's only response was leaving the room.

_Next: Ayeka's Apology_


	7. Ayeka's Apology

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Seven: Ayeka's Apology_

In a pond was Funaho, the magic tree that was once the heart of Prince Yosho's spaceship. It had taken root on Earth over seven hundred years ago, and Katsuhito said that it would never be able to fly as a spaceship again. Ryoko doubted that. If Funaho ever needed to fly again, Washu would be able to figure something out.

The silver haired tomboy floated over the pond as if attached to invisible wires. She levitated closer and set her feet on the flagstones that provided the dry walkway to the base of the tree. "Hey," she said as she crossed her arms. "I think that you and me have got to talk. Don't give me that 'you only respond to someone carrying the master key' nonsense. I know you can hear me, or use telepathy as if you were hearing me."

Aside of the wind rustling through Funaho's forever green leaves, there was no response. Ryoko really didn't expect any different.

"Oh, so that's the way it's going to be?" she snarled, raising her voice. "Going to give me the silent treatment, are you? Well I got news for you, buddy! I'm not the mindless engine of destruction that Kagato controlled anymore, got it? I'm different now! I'm a completely different woman!"

A high pitched whine erupted from the tree as white beams of light shot out of the tree to harmlessly reflect off the pond. Images appeared in Ryoko's mind. Familiar images… Images she knew all too well…

A flying woman was laughing and throwing balls of energy at a teenage boy. He claimed that he wasn't responsible for the woman's seven hundred years of imprisonment but the woman didn't care. The boy was her plaything, someone to torment and exercise her long dormant powers on. In response Funaho activated the master key allowing the boy to drive her off, but not before the damage caused the school to catch fire. The boy was Tenchi, Ryoko's reason for living after thousands of years of abuse and seven hundred years of imprisonment. The woman was Ryoko herself.

"Shut up!" Ryoko shouted. "You don't know me! You don't know anything about me! You don't know what I've been through! What was going through my mind! What, you expect me to snap from being a mindless engine of destruction to little Miss Perfect on my first day? What planet were you born on, anyway?"

A shrill whine echoed as more beams of light shot into the sky as other beams reflected off the pool. In her mind's eye, Ryoko could see an image of the planet Jurai floating in the middle of space.

"Don't get smart with me," Ryoko growled. "You know what I mean! I'm not like that anymore! I'm not!"

As beams of light radiated out from the tree, an image of _Ryo-ohki_ and _Ryu-oh_, Ayeka's spaceship bouncing through the water until they impacted with the Seto bridge. An image of Ryoko summoning spirits from the Earth to create a monster to attack Ayeka at the baths at the hot springs replaced it. An image of a scantily clad Ryoko gloating over a bound and gagged Ayeka completed the sequence of mental images.

"You're bringing all that up out of context!" Ryoko shouted. "I was just playing! Don't you understand? I was playing! I can't help it if that was the only way that psycho Kagato taught me how to play! I didn't have friends before! I never had friends before…" Tears streaming from her eyes, Ryoko collapsed to her knees.

"You have friends now," a familiar voice said behind her.

"Ayeka!" Ryoko turned to direct her anger at the purple haired princess. How dare she witness her humiliation like that? Didn't she know what a private conversation was? How dare she? "Go away! What are you doing here?"

"I'm extending a hand to someone who needs it," Ayeka's voice trembled and her eyes were moist as if ready to release tears, "because I need a friendly hand too."

"What do you have to complain about?" Ryoko snarled as she lunged to her feet. "You're the _princess_. Everybody _loves_ you!"

"Is that what you believe?" Ayeka sneered back. "That explains why my brother decided to maroon himself on this planet rather than return home and marry me. That explains why I spent seven hundred years in hibernation while my parents _knew_ where Yosho was."

"So what?" growled an indignant Ryoko. "At least you know how to make a good first impression. When I first met Tenchi after escaping from the cave all I did was scare him to death! No wonder he thinks I'm a monster!"

"He doesn't think you're a monster," Ayeka snarled back. "So stop feeling sorry for yourself. Why did you attack Tenchi at his school anyway? Angry at him for running away when you were in the cave?"

"No," Ryoko looked away and blinked away a tear. "Okay, I admit it. I admit that when Tenchi ran away before I finished regenerating that really hurt! But I got over it! When I realized that I was a dried up mummy I understood! I got it, okay? There was no way he could recognize me! But when I saw him on the roof of his school…"

"Yes?" Ayeka crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she waited for an explanation. "What happened on the roof of his school?"

"When I saw him…" Ryoko closed her eyes and pointed her head at the ground. "I hadn't experienced a fully functional body in over seven centuries. When I watched him grow up, I was in astral form…"

"Yes?" Ayeka tried to control her emotions and be more understanding. But Ryoko always made it so difficult!

Ryoko clenched her fists, but opened her eyes. "In astral form I was a ghost… but when I saw him in solid form. In a living body where all the parts worked… I wasn't ready for it…"

"I'm not sure I understand," Ayeka said warily.

"When I saw Tenchi, my heart fluttered, my palms sweated, my breathing got labored," Ryoko shook her head sadly. "I'd never felt anything like that before. How do you suppose I interpreted that?"

"I don't know," Ayeka cocked her head. "How did you?"

"I thought… 'I must… really _hate_ him'," Ryoko shook her head helplessly. "I didn't know how love felt. In the past, whenever I felt sensations like that it always meant that I hated someone or was in a fight. I didn't know what love was. So I decided to have some fun with him… Fun…" Ryoko shook her head sadly. "My idea of fun made him want to get as far away from me as possible…"

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Ayeka cackled helplessly. "Poor Ryoko, that is too much! The only way you could enjoy spending time with someone you liked was to torture them! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"Thanks for the sympathy," Ryoko grumbled sarcastically.

Ayeka's laughter died instantly a look of horror crossed her young face. "Wait a minute. You enjoyed tormenting _me_ too, didn't you? You mean to tell me that you were just looking for playmate?"

"Go away," Ryoko crossed her arms and turned her back on her.

"I'm… I'm sorry," Ayeka said as she walked forward to place her hands on Ryoko's shoulders. "I should have realized. I was just so wrapped up in myself that…"

"I don't need your pity," Ryoko growled as she flinched at Ayeka's touch.

"No, you don't," Ayeka agreed as she turned away. "Because someday Tenchi's going to wise up and realize that you're the best one out of the lot of us."

"You being smart or something?" Ryoko turned to confront her rival. "What are you talking about? I'm damaged goods! After being abused and used as a weapon by Kagato for two thousand years I'm way too messed up for Tenchi to take me seriously! He's not enough of a masochist to pick me and you know it!"

"That's right, Ryoko, your childhood was the worst nightmare anyone could imagine," Ayeka faced her without flinching. "You've faced torment and shame and took part in some of the most destructive crimes in history and what are you when you're released, huh? What are you now?"

"You know damn well I what I am now!" Ryoko clenched her fists and was ready to throw a punch.

"You're a girl who let an old lady bully you and boss you around," Ayeka said.

"Uh… what was that? You lost me," Ryoko stammered.

"Let me clarify," Ayeka said calmly. "On our second trip to the hot springs, Nobuyuki's aunt, the old woman who ran it put us to work, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Ryoko crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "That was the time Sasami revealed that she was assimilated with Tsunami."

"Yes, but do you remember how demanding that old woman was?" Ayeka asked. "Do you remember how she bullied us?"

"Yeah, so what?" Ryoko shrugged. "She was a batty old shrew."

"Why did you put up with it?" Ayeka asked pointblank.

"I don't know," Ryoko put her hands on her hips and looked away. "She was scary. She was mean."

"You've been a slave for as long as you can remember," Ayeka sneered. "That old woman was so frail that an ordinary person could snap her neck easily. You didn't have any emotional attachments to her. So why let her? You've devastated entire _worlds_ in the past. So why let some old biddy get away with bossing you around?"

"What was I supposed to do, kill her?" Ryoko snarled. "The damage at the hot springs was my fault! I couldn't get out of it! What was I supposed to do, destroy the hot springs just because she yells at me? I'm not like that, Ayeka! Not anymore! That's not who I am!"

"That's right, it's not," Ayeka said. "So don't give me this 'damaged goods' rubbish. Even after serving Kagato for thousands of years, you still value the sanctity of intelligent life and have a sense of right and wrong. Don't you understand what that means?"

"I'm not a mindless animal, Ayeka!" Ryoko shouted. "I'm a good person! You just don't give me a chance!"

"I know," Ayeka nodded sadly, "and that's why I'm so ashamed of myself now."

"What are you playing at?" asked a skeptical Ryoko.

"Ryoko, after being a living weapon for millennia, you shouldn't know what right and wrong _is_," Ayeka insisted. "Yet you do. Don't you see what that means?"

"No I don't!" Ryoko threw up her hands in exasperation. "I don't know if you're insulting me or complementing me, Ayeka, but I don't like it!"

"I'm trying to compliment you, you ingrate, but you always make it so hard on me!" Ayeka put her arms to her sides and clenched her fists in exasperation. "I'm pointing out that even a lifetime of being Kagato's demon couldn't make you a monster. You're a good person. You always were. You always will be. You just don't know how to be nice because no one ever taught you how."

Ryoko blushed at that remark, but she attempted to bluster her way through. "And who's going to teach me how to be nice, you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Those who can't do, teach," Ayeka sighed.

"What does that mean?" Ryoko challenged.

"It means that unlike you, I've got no excuse for the way I've acted," Ayeka sighed.

"What is this, are you trying to apologize?" Ryoko asked skeptically.

"Trying, yes," Ayeka nodded as she looked away. "Just not succeeding."

"What do you have to apologize about?" Ryoko asked venomously.

"How about that little question and answer session we had on _Ryo-oh_?" Ayeka put her hands on her hips. "How about the time in the bath when you bared your soul to me and I made fun of your age? How about the time I fired _Ryo-oh's_ weapons at a protected planet and abducted you despite the fact that the statute of limitations on your crimes had expired?"

"You were drunk when you made fun of my age, Ayeka," Ryoko smiled grimly, "and I was asking for it after all the time I'd been teasing you. As for the statute of limitations, it was baloney. Tsunami and the Jurai Holy Council just gave me a pass. It doesn't mean anything."

"Of course it does," Ayeka stamped her foot. "If I wasn't the first princess of Jurai I'd be in prison for what I did! I'm supposed to be better than that, and I'm not, don't you understand what that means?"

"Nope," Ryoko shook her head. "Just that you got too much time on your hands."

"It means that deep down, I'm… I'm…" Ayeka's bottom lip trembled as a tear appeared in her eye. "I'm the horrible one!" Ayeka hid her face in her hands and bent over. "I… I… I'm just naturally a horrible person! If Kagato hadn't got a hold of you, you would be the perfect angel! But as for me… I…"

"You're horrible, so what?" Ryoko shrugged. "I always knew you were the evil one. It's old news. No big deal."

"No big deal?" Ayeka growled as tiny logs appeared around her. "What do you mean? I have no excuse for the way I acted! None at all!"

"Sure you do," Ryoko smiled evilly. "You were spoiled rotten and when Yosho broke your heart you snapped. It's okay. Love's like that. It happens. I'm not judging. So you're a brat, so what?"

"So what?" Ayeka clenched her fists and scowled through her tears. "What do you mean, 'so what?' How can you say such a thing?"

"So you're not perfect," Ryoko shrugged. "It's no big deal. It doesn't make you Kagato. Get over it. Just chalk it up as a learning experience and move on."

"You don't understand…"

"No _you_ don't understand!" the former space pirate snapped. "So you abused your power, big deal! Get over yourself! You only did it once. Then you straightened yourself out and moved on with your life. It's not like you've got thousands of years of blood and death on your hands. You didn't kill anybody, and everybody involved has forgiven you. Get over it. Let it go already!"

Ayeka looked down at the ground before she stood up straight to look Ryoko in the eye. "You're right, Ryoko," she nodded. "I'm not the same person I was when I arrived here. None of us are. I've grown since then."

"That's right," Ryoko slapped Ayeka on the back. "You noticed that being spoiled rotten in your palace on Jurai was turning you into someone that you didn't like, so you decided to live here where your royal title doesn't mean squat. Come on, Princess. How many princesses do you see sweeping floors and doing laundry? On Jurai you'd say that such work was beneath you. Here you're learning humility."

Ayeka smiled tiredly. "Yosho once told me: Only by learning to serve do you learn to command."

"And forget about Yosho," Ryoko smiled mischievously as she put a friendly hand on Ayeka's shoulder. "If he'd rather be a wrinkled up old raisin than marry a sweet young thing like you there's something wrong with him. I know you're Juraian, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life with a weirdo like that? He must have some old person fetish or something."

Ayeka gave an embarrassed laugh. "Thank you, Ryoko. I needed to hear that."

"Yeah," Ryoko nodded. "So did I. I needed to say it. Thanks for giving me a chance to help you. I needed it." She looked resentfully back at the tree. "At least _I_ know that I've changed, even if some wooden blockheads haven't!"

Aside of the wind blowing through its leaves, Funaho didn't dignify that remark with a response.

"Come on, let's get back to the house," Ryoko smiled.

Ayeka nodded. "Okay, lets."

As the princess turned to make her way across the stones back to dry land, Ryoko smiled evilly and pushed her into the water.

"Hey!" the wet princess protested as she pulled herself out of the pond. "What's the big idea, Ryoko?"

"I can't start being nice to you now," Ryoko teased as she floated just out of the striking range of Ayeka's fists. "If did that I might spoil you and turn you into someone you don't like. Besides, you're too proud to accept pity! This will build character! A few more months of this and you'll be able to face any challenge life throws at you!"

"Hm, maybe I should return the favor and build _your _character also." The princess' tiara glowed and one of Funaho's limbs moved down and swatted Ryoko out of the air. The sputtering space pirate hit the bottom of the pond with a thud that not even the water could cushion.

Ryoko pulled herself out of the water and her mud covered face contorted into a bestial scowl. "Ayeka… you are asking for it!"

"Don't blame me," Ayeka laughed as tiny logs appeared around her. "I love you too but you're too proud to accept pity! I guess I'll have to show that I care by making life as hard on you as possible!"

"That's the spirit!" Ryoko smiled grimly as she formed an energy ball in her hand. Who cared what a dumb tree thought? Ryoko knew who she was and even Ayeka knew. That was what mattered.

_Next: No Fool Like an Old Fool_


	8. No Fool Like an Old Fool

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Eight: No Fool Like an Old Fool_

As Tenchi climbed the steps up the mountains to his grandfather's house he heard Mihoshi's voice. "Oh come on," the blonde Galaxy Police officer chirped. "Just let me take a picture with you! I want all of my friends back home to know that I met the famous Lord Yosho!"

"What part of a secret identity do you not understand?" Katsuhito grumbled.

"Oh come on," she begged. "They can keep a secret!"

"Not if they're anything like you," the old man... er… young man who _appeared_ old said pointblank. "The universe at large thinks I'm missing in action and I want to keep it that way. It was bad enough you had to blab it all back to your headquarters. Your brother showing up in that big golf ball wasn't enough?"

"He's real sorry about all that!" Mihoshi clasped her hands and let the camera on the strap around her neck swing free. "He won't do it again, honest!"

"I'm sorry my dear, can we take this up later?" Tenchi's grandfather said was he looked over her shoulder. "I see my grandson, and I think he wants a private man-to-man talk. He looks serious."

"Oh that's right!" Mihoshi chirped. "That's because he takes after his mother, who was always the serious type and wasn't an insane practical joker like you told him, right?" Her cheerful demeanor left her when she saw the look of murder in the old man's eye. "Oh uh… gotta be going! Bye now! Bye Tenchi!" she said as she dashed by him in an extremely girly run.

"What can I do for you, Tenchi?" Katsuhito asked innocently.

Tenchi had to bite his tongue to keep himself from saying, "You could tell the truth for once." He had come up here to apologize. As a being with truly limitless potential for good or evil he couldn't afford to be petty or selfish. He had to be forgiving and understanding, otherwise later down the road he might be a threat to the universe. Tenchi coughed and looked at the ground. "I uh… have come to apologize," he finally said. "I shouldn't have blown up at you in front of Ayeka and the others. If I have an issue, I should wait until we're alone."

"That's all right, Tenchi," his grandfather nodded. "I was young and stupid myself once. Just think of it as a learning experience."

"Stupid?" Tenchi snapped. "I can understand the 'young' part, but what about the 'stupid'?"

"You have to ask?" Katsuhito smiled mischievously. "Well now we're alone. Anything you need to get off your chest or do you want to wait until Ayeka and the others are here?"

Ouch. "Why are you pretending to be old, Grandpa?" Tenchi asked pointblank. "Even to Ayeka and the others? Is it that bad to tell the truth?"

The old man sighed and looked away. "Tenchi when you get to be my age you'll find out that there's no fool like an old fool trying to be a young fool. For starters if I revealed myself I'd have a bunch of young girls trying to get my attention just like you've got. I've been down that road too many times, my boy. I'm getting off."

"What do you mean, grandpa?" Tenchi asked.

"I've loved many women Tenchi," his grandfather said sadly. "I've been married many times. The problem with having a magic tree that keeps you forever young is that you can never spend the rest of your life with someone. They always die before you do."

"Oh grandpa…" Tenchi groaned in horror.

"It gets even more 'fun' when you outlive your children," Katsuhito nodded grimly. "You try to be tough, but it always tears you apart. Now let's move on to paving the road to hell with good intentions. Guess who introduced the bushido code?"

"You did, grandpa?" the boy asked hesitantly.

"That's right," he nodded grimly. "I introduced the warrior's code to a bunch of primitives. Only a code of honor could stop the atrocities that soldiers inflicted on civilians and each other so I figured that no matter how badly they misinterpreted it they couldn't make things worse than they were. I was wrong. The 'no surrender' policy combined with the abominable treatment of prisoners of war was all the justification the Americans needed to throw atomic bombs at this island."

"Oh grandpa," Tenchi shook his head. "That wasn't your fault."

"That's what I tell myself," the older man shrugged. "So you can see why I think of old Katsuhito as the real me, and not that idiot Yosho. Can I dishonor my descendants who are growing old and dying by being young, getting drunk and entertaining woman every night? I feel old these days, Tenchi. I just don't relate to the younger generation anymore. This old geezer, that's who I am now."

"I think I understand now," Tenchi nodded, "but would it have hurt so much to tell Ayeka the truth?"

"Well I don't know Tenchi," his grandfather rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "The truth can be a dangerous commodity. Didn't Mihoshi's family try to kill us all after finding out about the living arrangement here?"

"They jumped to the wrong conclusion, that's all!" Tenchi insisted. "The situation here is very complex and they didn't understand. Who can blame them?"

"Who indeed?" Katsuhito nodded in false contrition, "but didn't informing them of the complex situation in the first place cause a lot of trouble?"

"I guess," Tenchi crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Tenchi, I'm over eight hundred years old," Katsuhito said seriously. "Don't you see that there's a lot of complexities in my past that it's best to just keep quiet about for now? The things I've done have made your life so complicated that you can't tell any of your old friends what's going on, can you?"

"I guess," Tenchi repeated. "I just think that what happened to my mother should be an exception."

"Your mother was a member of the Jurai royal family," the older man sighed. "You're burdened with too much of that nonsense already for a boy your age. Believe me Tenchi, your life is complicated enough. Take it from someone who's been there."

"Okay," Tenchi sighed. He could insist but he was working on being patient and forgiving right now. His grandfather was blaming himself for what had happened when really it was the fault of the three Chousin goddesses that everything was so… Wait! What if…?

"Why didn't anybody contact Ayeka's ship, _Ryu-oh_?" Tenchi asked. "Ayeka and Sasami spent centuries in suspended animation while Azaka and Kamadake searched the galaxy for you. When Airi found you, why didn't your parents contact _Ryu-oh_ and call off the search? It doesn't make sense."

"For starters, I asked Airi not to tell my parents," Katsuhito told him. "When they _did_ find out, they told me that _Ryu-oh_ was missing, and had been for centuries. I'd say the reason they didn't contact _Ryu-oh_ was because they couldn't."

"What?" Tenchi blinked. "They couldn't? _Ryu-oh_ was lost in space?"

"That's right," his grandfather nodded. "Think about it. Prince Yosho was already missing. What parents in their right minds would let their daughters go off into outer space to look for him? Ayeka and Sasami ran away from home. _Ryu-oh_ and _Tsunami_ were missing, and that was one of Jurai's most guarded secrets. If Jurai's enemies ever figured out that we didn't have _Tsunami_…"

"Tsunami!" Tenchi snapped his fingers. "That's it! That explains everything! It all makes sense now! I've got to find Sasami! Thanks for everything, grandpa!" he shouted as he turned and dashed back down the steps to the Masaki house.

Katsuhito shouted after him. "Don't run on the stairs, you might..."

"Aaah!" Tenchi cried as he tumbled down the rough stone steps. Miraculously he reached the bottom without being seriously hurt.

"…fall," his grandfather finished and shook his head. "Oh Tenchi, you still have so much to learn."

Tenchi found Sasami in the kitchen. "Sasami! Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure Tenchi, what is it?" the child asked.

"Could you get me aboard _Tsunami_?" he asked her. "I need to talk with her."

"Okay," Sasami nodded.

It was extremely awkward. Tsunami was a goddess who pretended to be a tree. A tree that had almost limitless power and had become a spaceship. Tsunami's seedlings became intelligent trees that were also powerful spaceships. Tsunami had adopted Jurai's royal family even before she assimilated with Sasami. When a member of the royal family was linked to a tree, they would get super powers and near immortality. Those who married into the family would be linked to a tree and thus be just as ageless and powerful as those who had pedigrees. That was how his great-grandmother joined the royal family.

Tsunami was a goddess, a tree, a spaceship, and a woman. Thanks to her relationship with Sasami, she was also a child. To board the spaceship would be technically entering her, and that had biblical implications that Tenchi didn't want to think about. Still it seemed to be a guaranteed way to get an audience with Tsunami. He didn't think that Sasami could just summon her like a genie.

"Would you like to see the interior of _my_ ship again?" the green haired Noike asked brightly.

"Er, uh, no thanks, Noike," Tenchi blushed. "I've got to talk to Tsunami. It's important." And private, he thought to himself. Was there a way for Sasami to remain ignorant of what he said to Tsunami?

"By the royal seal in my true name, please open the path to our ancestors, the space trees. Heaven to ocean, ocean to earth, earth back to heaven. Show me the path engraved by the light," Sasami chanted before Funaho while clutching Tenchi's hand. The boy screamed as both he and Sasami were hurled towards the magic tree's glowing trunk.

They didn't impact against the wood though. Tenchi found himself standing on a crystal floor beneath a starry sky that he knew was in a giant subspace bubble that was the heart of a giant spaceship. The mighty tree known as Tsunami stood before him in a pool of water just like Funaho did back on Earth.

"Huh?" the boy looked around. "Where's Sasami?"

"She's here," an angelic voice replied as a beautiful sky blue haired woman appeared before the tree. "I just assumed that you wanted a private meeting."

Tenchi looked at the floor. Tsunami's reflection was little Sasami. Tenchi looked closely at Tsunami. She could have been Sasami at age twenty. From what she told Ayeka and Ryoko, Sasami would look _exactly_ like Tsunami when she grew up. The question was, did Tsunami look like Sasami or did Sasami look like Tsunami?

"You have a question," the gentle goddess asked sadly. "Go ahead, ask it."

"Why couldn't Jurai contact _Ryu-oh_?" Tenchi asked. "Was that your doing?"

"Yes," Tsunami nodded quietly.

"Then who gave the instructions about Ayeka's bedtime?" Tenchi asked. "Ryoko told me that Ayeka stopped the interrogation because one of the ship's units told her that it had instructions from the queen."

"That was me," Tsunami looked down at the ground. "I gave the instructions. I wanted the interrogation to end."

"I see. You were trying to protect Ryoko," Tenchi nodded.

"No, I was trying to protect Ayeka," Tsunami closed her eyes.

"What?"

"Ayeka had never done anything like that before. It was different when she couldn't find an effective way to torture Ryoko, but when she used the master key…" Tsunami raised her face to look guiltly at Tenchi. "I couldn't let Sasami's sister become that kind of person. I couldn't let her cross that bridge. It was my fault that she didn't know where Yosho was, not Ryoko's. I caused her that pain and pushed her into doing something that she would normally consider unthinkable. I had to stop it."

"And now Ayeka thinks that her parents don't love her," Tenchi mumbled. "We've got to tell her."

"If you do that, how will she feel about Sasami?" Tsunami asked him.

"What?"

"Sasami and I are assimilated," the goddess told him. "It's alright for Ayeka to resent me, but I couldn't forgive myself if she resented her own sister."

"Couldn't forgive yourself?" Tenchi asked as he recalled his conversation with Washu. "Why not? You're a goddess aren't you? You can justify everything you've ever done regardless of the consequences can't you? I mean, you're all knowing and understanding right? You'll understand won't you?"

"Sasami won't," sighed a miserable Tsunami as she glanced down at her reflection. "The poor girl is terrified that she might not be the real Sasami. If Ayeka rejects her it will devastate her."

"_Is_ she the real Sasami?" Tenchi asked cruelly. "Between you and me, she seems too good to be true."

"Yes she is," Tsunami nodded, "and now so am I."

"Huh?"

"A part of me perceives everything that has happened from a child's point of view," said a guilty Tsunami. "She's frightened and ashamed, therefore I am too."

"Did she have to fall to her doom seven hundred years ago?" Tenchi asked her. "I mean, did she have to be assimilated with you? Couldn't you have manipulated events through your trees and not through a little girl?"

"Tenchi, I'm sorry," Tsunami's pink eyes glistened. "I never wanted you to find out. What I've done is unforgivable to your eyes."

"Then why?" Tenchi shouted as tears trickled down his cheeks. "Why did Sasami have to die? Why did you have…"

"I love you, Tenchi," Tsunami said quietly.

"What does that have to do with Sasami?" Tenchi growled.

"You could never love a goddess, but you _could_ love a little girl," Tsunami sighed as a tear trickled down her perfect cheek. "Now I _am_ that little girl, who will someday become a woman. If I have to endure her frailties and limitations to gain your favor, so be it. I'm sorry, Tenchi. It seems that the creators of the universe are just as petty and shortsighted as those within it. I'm sorry."

"I… I'm sorry too…" Tenchi sobbed. "I… know you just wanted to m-meet me… to make sure that I existed in the first place…!"

"Thank you for trying, but I can't expect you to forgive me," Tsunami sighed. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

"I think that I've learned enough!" Tenchi gasped in horror. "Grandpa was right! There are some things I'm not ready to find out yet!"

"I'll send you back to Earth," Tsunami nodded in understanding.

Tenchi found himself near Funaho hugging a weeping Sasami.

"Tenchi!" Sasami gasped between sobs. "I did something! I did something really bad! I know I did! I just know it!"

"No… no… it wasn't you, Sasami, it wasn't you," he assured her. Poor Sasami couldn't understand the information she got from her link to Tsunami. Why couldn't he leave well enough alone? Washu's amnesia machine was looking pretty good right now. "It's okay, Sasami. You didn't do anything. I'm the one who brought all this up, not you. Please don't blame yourself. I'm sorry."

He mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. Hadn't he learned anything from this morning? Okay that was it. Time to make amends for everything crummy thing he did in recent memory. The way he was messing things up it was only a matter of time before he became a monster like Z, Doctor Clay or Kagato.

_Next: Meet the Girls_


	9. Meet the Girls

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Nine: Meet the Girls_

"Thanks for coming everyone," Tenchi said to the girls assembled in the living room. "There's something I need to say, and something I need to ask you."

"What's the big deal?" Ryoko asked while levitating and sitting crosslegged at the same time. "We live here anyway."

"Er uh yeah," Tenchi blushed. "First I'd like to apologize for the way I've been acting lately. It's been a crazy year for me, and it just got to me."

"I understand," Ayeka nodded with a sad smile as she sat on the couch with little Sasami and Ryo-ohki. "I can be pretty beastly myself, sometimes."

"I'm sorry but you have to understand that before you came here, I believed that Earth was the only planet in the universe that had intelligent life," he paused when Mihoshi giggled, then continued. "I thought that I'd only last seven or eight decades, and that would be it. I assumed that I was just an ordinary guy who would get an ordinary job and live an ordinary life."

"You can see how _that_ turned out," Washu smirked from her chair.

"Now I discover that I'm related to the most powerful family in the known universe," the boy continued. "Now I've got the power of the lighthawk wings, a force so powerful that only the most powerful spaceships have it. Now I find out that I'm second in line for the throne. Think about it. Second in line for the throne of Jurai! I'm not ready for that!"

"Don't worry about it," Noike said from her easy chair. "The king isn't going anywhere. He'll live for centuries."

"That's just it!" Tenchi pointed his finger at the teal haired beauty. "So will I! Think about it! If I get bound to a tree I could live hundreds, maybe thousands of years! Maybe longer! And I'll have access to both personal and political power that I can't even imagine! I've got the most powerful and beautiful women in the universe at my beck and call! How do I know it won't corrupt me?"

"This conversation… seems familiar somehow…" Washu rolled her eyes at the ceiling as her hand went to her chin, "but I can't… recall it exactly…"

"Corrupt you?" Ayeka asked. "Tenchi, what are you saying?"

"I mean what's to make me any different than Kagato?" Tenchi retorted. "For all I know I could become just like him!"

"Trust me, Tenchi," Noike waved her hand in dismissal. "You _won't_ become Kagato. _I_ should know."

"You know what I mean," Tenchi shook his head sadly. "I really upset a lot of people today."

"It's not your fault Tenchi," Sasami assured him with a hoarse voice.

"I'm just afraid… that I'm going to change as the years go by that's all," Tenchi shrugged apologetically. "It might take centuries, but who am I going to be in a thousand years?"

"I understand," Ryoko nodded. "Even the nicest of us can be responsible for the deaths of billions of people. You don't want that on your conscience is that it?"

"I want to make sure that I _have_ a conscience in the future," Tenchi nodded furiously. "So I've decided that starting right now, I'm going to make amends for all the crummy things I've done since you all entered my life. The time before I entered the cave I was just a regular guy. It didn't matter in the long run if I was a jerk or not. Now I don't have that luxury. It's time to make up to the people I might have hurt staring with one of my oldest friends…"

"Oh Tenchi!" Ryoko set her feet on the floor and spread her arms wide. "You're not ignoring me anymore! You _do_ love me!"

"Amagasaki," Tenchi continued as Ryoko tumbled to the floor. "He's a friend of mine who moved away after the school burned down. The last thing I did was punch him out after he said something outrageous to get my attention. It was totally uncalled for and I should apologize. He's somewhere in Tokyo now and I know he'd be thrilled to meet all of you. Let's go, ladies what do you say?"

"Well," Ayeka blushed. "If it's really that important to you…"

"Fine by me," Washu shrugged. "This will give me a chance to test out my wormhole technology. I'll track him down and we can go tomorrow."

"Humph. Tokyo eh?" Ryoko put her hand on her chin as she lay on the floor. "I guess this _is_ our chance to go to the big city…"

"Tokyo?" Sasami gasped in fear. "Isn't that the city that Godzilla destroyed? Don't you think we should wait until it's safe?"

"Don't be silly Sasami," Mihoshi laughed. "That movie was made in the sixties. That was almost fifty years ago! I'm sure they rebuilt everything by now!"

"This is a protected colony world," Noike warned. "People on this world don't know about the presence of aliens from outer space and besides, your very existence is a state secret. We're going to have to be careful if we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"Don't worry, I've thought about that," Tenchi assured her. "Tokyo is a big city unlike this small town. It's more cosmopolitan. Folks that are different won't stand out as much unlike around here."

"In other words, they've got lots of other freaks and weirdoes in the big city," Washu smirked. "So even we can blend in."

"Hey! Who you callin' a freak and weirdo?" Ryoko teleported over to Washu to shake her fist.

"That's what I'm talking about young lady," Washu nagged. "The flying and teleporting have got to go! From now on, you stay down on _terra firma_ until we get back. Or do you need some _technological control_ over your powers?"

"Why are you only talking to me?" Ryoko frowned indignantly.

"The rest of us don't use a superpower every three minutes," Washu retorted.

The silver haired former space pirate scowled and crossed her arms before she vanished with an electronic hum.

The next day in the city of Tokyo, the gate to a high school opened as a bell signaled the end of the day. Trailing behind the crowd of students was a large corpulent boy who was at least six feet tall. Eyeglasses were perched on a large red nose scarred by acne and he plodded out the gate carrying a heavy bag full of books. He was bored and not really paying attention to his surroundings.

"Amagasaki!" Tenchi's voice called. "Amagasaki! Over here!"

The huge, obese boy turned in surprise to see the slender, almost effeminate form of Tenchi Masaki running towards him. Despite it being the end of a long day he was jolted back to alertness. Tenchi was the last one in the world he expected to see. "Tuh-tuh Tenchi!" he stammered. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came out here to apologize," Tenchi explained. "I was a real jerk the day the school burned down and I never got a chance to say I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" the tubby boy blinked. "For what?"

"For punching you out!" Tenchi gasped in surprise. "I hit you so hard, it's a miracle I didn't kill you!"

"Oh _that_?" the boy laughed. "Come on, Tenchi! If I got upset every time somebody punched me out for no reason I'd be a basket case! Let's face it; I _can_ get on people's nerves sometimes!"

"You still didn't deserve that right cross," Tenchi shrugged. "I was totally out of line. I'm sorry."

"Tenchi… you aren't comin' on to me, are you?" Amagasaki asked him.

"What? Are you asking for another punch or something?" Tenchi took a step back.

"No, but you'll notice I can say the wrong thing once in a while," the humungous boy shrugged. "See what I mean? My folks think I've got a mild case of Asperger's. I never know where the line is."

"Speaking of knowing where the line is, Kamikura and Ikeda said that you called me a traitor," Tenchi said.

"Oh _that_!" Amagasaki blushed. "Well that was because I noticed that you had all these beautiful girls at your place but never introduced me to 'em!"

"I thought you might say that, so I asked them to come to Tokyo with me," Tenchi smiled in triumph before he called over his shoulder. "Hey girls? Come you come over here, there's someone I'd like you to meet!"

A cluster of exotically attractive young females walked out of the crowd and strode over to Tenchi and the other boy. Amagasaki was shocked by the number and variety of beauties that Tenchi brought with him. Whatever Tenchi did in another life to deserve this must have been world changing!

"I'd like you to meet some of my cousins from the United States," Tenchi grinned. "They're foreign exchange students who are studying to be shrine maidens. This is Noike, say hello."

"Huh-huh-huh-hullo," Amagasaki stuttered. "What bountiful… uh… _hands_, you have…"

"Hands?" Noike smiled for the boy's eyes were on her full and perky chest.

"Easy boy," Tenchi led the drooling Amagasaki away to the princesses. "This is Ayeka and her sister Sasami."

"How do you do?" Ayeka smiled.

"We're from Jurai," Sasami added.

"Jurai?"

"Er um, yes," Ayeka thought quickly. "It's a town in um… Hawaii."

"And this is Mihoshi," Tenchi said as he led him to a tall buxom blonde with bronze skin and blue eyes.

"How do you do?" she greeted. "I'm a member of the Galaxy Police."

"The Galaxy Police?" Amagaski repeated.

"Uh yeah," Tenchi stammered. "It's a band. She's the one on the tambourine."

"Oh I get it," his friend smiled. "So many girls at once… I don't know what to say."

"And this is little Washu," Tenchi introduced him to the green-eyed redhead.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" the little carrot top smiled devilishly. "Is Tenchi's little friend a big old pedophile?"

"Wow, they… grow up fast don't they?" Amagasaki asked him.

"She's from um… Hollywood," Tenchi explained. "Kids don't really have a childhood there. Celebrity mom. You understand."

"And this must _be_ her mom!" a drooling Amagasaki gasped when he saw Ryoko. "She's hot! She must have been in a lot movies!"

"Her mom?" Ryoko scowled.

"Wow, Tenchi you're amazing!" the boy gushed. "You've got every type of pretty girl from loli to milf! You must not know what do to with yourself!"

"Mom?" Ryoko growled. "What do you mean, I 'must be her mom'?"

"You've got gorgeous girls from children, teenagers, to moms!" Amagasaki burbled to Tenchi. "You're incredible! How did you do it?"

"I show you 'mom'!" Ryoko snarled as she pulled on the fat boy's shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am," Amagasaki smiled at Ryoko. "I didn't mean to upset you. I meant it as a compliment."

"Ma'am?" Ryoko's golden eyes bulged out, and the left one twitched. "MA'AM? Yeargh!" she grunted in fury as she sent the big fat boy flying with one punch.

Amagasaki tumbled through the air before he hit a brick wall.

"Get a life, clown!" Ryoko growled as the stunned and bleeding boy stared back at her with glassy eyes.

Later, after the housemates returned home to the Masaki shrine, Tenchi tried to figure out what exactly went wrong.

"What happened?" Tenchi asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Harry Potter has been sorted into Gryffindor," Washu said as she turned a page in her book.

"I'll tell you what happened," Noike nagged. "You let Ryoko out in public and she completely lost it is what happened."

"That's not fair!" Ayeka snapped. "The second time we went to the hot springs she was a perfect angel!"

"Who are you and what did you do with Ayeka?" Washu asked skeptically.

"It's true!" Ayeka insisted. "Ryoko's changed a lot since Tenchi defeated Kagato, even before then! She's not just some mindless engine of destruction, she's a human being! You can't treat her like some attack dog you've got to keep on a short leash! Just listen to yourself, Noike, you sound like…"

"You?" the grey eyed beauty asked with a wry smile.

"Yes," Ayeka stamped her foot and looked away in frustration. "I guess I _do_ sound like that don't I? But I'm only teasing, I don't really mean it, not anymore…"

"She acted just like Lady Airi," Sasami offered. "Yosho's wife. She hated being called 'Grandma'."

"Even though Lady Airi _is_ my grandma," Tenchi nodded ruefully. "It seems strange that a people who can live over a thousand years are obsessed with being young."

"Age isn't just a measure of experience," Washu shrugged. "On Jurai, it's also a measure of social status. Only the most wealthy and powerful can actually maintain physical youth for over a thousand years. Back home it's fashionable to be _really_ old while looking _really_ young."

"This explains a lot," Tenchi said as he looked at the childlike Washu. "_How_ old did you say you were?"

"Now Tenchi, it's not polite to ask a girl her age," Washu batted her eyes at him.

"The earliest records of Lady Washu go back over twenty-thousand years," Noike smiled mischievously. "And she was a legal adult even then. Nobody knows how old she really is."

"Is somebody overcompensating for something?" Ayeka asked devilishly. "I'm surprised you don't make yourself look younger than little Sasami here."

"Knock it off," Washu grumbled. "Ryoko has been sulking in her room ever since we got home. She usually takes a nap among the rafters so she can be with the rest of us but now she's shut herself in her room like a teenage girl."

"Oh you'd really have to be pathetic to shut yourself in your room for a long time," Ayeka blushed, recalling the time that _she_ had done the same thing.

"We should respect her privacy," Tenchi admonished. He had had enough of digging up things that should be left buried.

"I'm her mother," Washu declared imperiously as she shut her book. "That means I don't have to respect her privacy. It's a mother's duty to stick her nose in her child's business no matter what, especially if there's something upsetting her that she'd rather not talk about. It's part of the job description."

"Be gentle on her," Sasami begged softly as Washu rose from the couch.

"Why Sasami," Washu declared with melodramatic innocence, "am I anything but?"

"Of course not, Lady Washu," Sasami smiled as the eccentric redhead went up the stairs. When Washu was out of sight the little girl hugged herself and shivered.

In her room, Ryoko's brooding was interrupted by a knock at the door and her mother's nasal voice. "Okay in there, open up! I know you're in there, Ryoko. Open up, it's Mom." When Ryoko didn't respond, the door glowed with an unnatural pinkish color and Washu stepped right through it as if it wasn't there.

"What do you want?" Ryoko grumbled as the door returned to normal.

"Something is upsetting my sweetie-pie lambsykins, and I want to know what it is," Washu told her. "Is it a crime for a mother to worry about her daughter?"

"Go away," Ryoko turned her back on her. "Go play hopscotch or something."

"What's the matter, Ryoko darling?"

"Dammit, Washu!" the cyan haired space pirate turned to face her mother. "The problem is that you look younger than me! I'm sick of it! I'm tired of looking like I'm the oldest one here! Why would Tenchi want a Christmas cake like me?"

"Oh boy," Washu muttered as her eyes narrowed. "Now we're in for it."

_Next: Second Childhood_


	10. Second Childhood

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 21: Innocence**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website._

_Chapter Ten: Second Childhood_

The door opened to Washu's interdimensional lab and two women entered the redhead's fantastic realm of wonder and invention.

"All right, Sweetie-pie, we've got total privacy," Washu said to the fuming Ryoko. "What's on your mind?"

"You _know_ what's on my mind, Washu!" Ryoko snarled back. "I've looked in the mirror! Compared the rest of the girls here I look worn out! Used up! Last year!"

"So you don't spend all your time fussing in the mirror like the others do; what of it?" Washu shrugged as she tried to downplay Ryoko's insecurities. "You're a tomboy who gets her hands dirty instead of filing her fingernails. If it's that important to you, spend more time in front of the mirror every morning like the rest of us do."

"It's more than that!" her daughter insisted. "You created me to be physically perfect! I should completely blow the other girls out of the water! Instead I'm always hearing about how my butt sags or my breasts droop or how I must have had a hard life…!"

"You _did _have a hard life," Washu cut in. "Don't forget that with our telepathic link I experienced every horrible thing that happened to you while Kagato enslaved you. You're lucky you look as good as you do. And you look great. Compared to your standard Earthling, you're a knockout. Just because you don't look as young and pampered as all the little space princesses around here…"

"Well I'm sick of it!" Ryoko growled. "I'm sick of people thinking I'm so much older than Ayeka and Mihoshi!"

"You _are_ so much older than Ayeka and Mihoshi," Washu retorted. "Get over it!"

"I didn't used to be!" Ryoko protested. "When I was terrorizing the galaxy, I looked like I was Mihoshi's age! Now I'm almost old enough to marry Nobuyuki!"

"No you're not…"

"Yes I am!" Ryoko insisted. "When I first met Sasami, she asked Tenchi to introduce her to this 'older lady'."

"_Everyone's_ older than Sasami," Washu shrugged. "To Sasami, everyone's older."

"Later, just before Kagato kidnapped me I was pouring out my life story to Ayeka in the onsen and she said that I looked like I had been in the bath too long!"

"You _had_ been in the bath too long, you spent all that time drinking," Washu put her hands on her hips.

"She said Tenchi didn't want to be seduced to an old lady!" Ryoko bawled.

"She was drunk and she was trying to get back at you for all the mental torture you put her through," the redhead countered. "So what?"

"Why are you always saying that my butt is sagging?" Ryoko demanded.

"Your butt _is_ sagging, you sit on it far too often!" Washu nagged.

"My chest too," Ryoko pouted.

"That's 'cause you got so much of it," Washu snorted. "So what? Lots of guys like a gal with that natural look, know what I mean?"

"Yeah, guys who prefer older women!" Ryoko snarled. "I don't think Tenchi's that kind of boy, and even if he was, he'd choose someone else because he wouldn't want to admit it! I'm sick of looking so much older than him!"

"You're over a thousand and he's not even twenty, give it a rest all ready," Washu said. "Everyone here was born before Tenchi was."

"_You_ look younger than Ayeka does, and _you're _older than dirt!" Ryoko pointed an accusing finger at her mother. "If _you_ can look so much younger, why can't _I_?"

"What do you mean?" Washu put her hands on her hips.

"I mean that 'little girl' look is only a disguise!" Ryoko continued. "After we took care of baby Taro we all got a look at your full grown womanliness! Show me how to do that! If you can adjust your age, I wanna too!"

"So it's come to this, has it?" Washu sighed. "Look there's a reason why you look a little more… mature than the rest of us, Ryoko."

"Why?" Ryoko snapped. "The universe being cruel again?"

"No, you're still recovering from the ordeal you and Yosho went through seven hundred years ago," Washu explained. "It's taken you seven centuries to get back from a withered skeleton to a hot milf. Do you really think you can just bounce right back to 'sweet young thing' that quickly? You almost died sweetie-kins."

"So what you're saying is I don't look old…"

"You look like an AIDS patient," Washu nodded, "or an inmate at a concentration camp. It's just that my darling daughter is so gorgeous in her natural state that even wan, beat-up and sickly you still look like a perfectly healthy woman to earthling eyes, just not a healthy woman who's twenty years old. As time goes by and you draw more power from your gem, your health should improve and it will look like you're aging in reverse."

"So I'm getting younger?" Ryoko smiled hopefully. "How long will it take for me to look the same age as Tenchi does now?"

"I don't know, now that you've got your gem it should only take a few decades or so, maybe eight or nine…"

"Eight or nine _decades_?" Ryoko reeled in horror. "That's way too long! Tenchi will choose someone else in that time! I gotta look younger right now!"

"Look, it would be different if you had more of your gems," Washu shrugged, "but Yosho's tree Funaho needs them in the master key or Tenchi's grandfather will get old and die."

"So what?" Ryoko snorted. "You can use your dimension gizmos to zap it back to Jurai can't you? He can move back in with his parents! Back on Jurai, he and his tree should last forever. He doesn't have to stay here."

"Would _you_ want to move back in with _your_ parents?" Washu asked wryly.

"You got a point. No," Ryoko hung her head and sighed in defeat. "Living with you can be torture sometimes."

"I'll try not to take that personally," Washu said. "So what other options is there?"

"Well you could do some weird science gadget and turn me into a teenager," Ryoko suggested. "I know my genetic and molecular structure is a lot more complex than your standard Earthling, but you designed it. You must know some way to customize it."

Washu put her hand to her chin and walked away. "Now… that will entail a lot of research and work... It could take me a while…"

"How long?" Ryoko barked. "A week? A month? How long are we talkin'…?"

"It will take me _all_ afternoon," Washu announced melodramatically. "Unless my younger and physically stronger child uses her young muscles to help me set up the machine that is…"

"Don't you have robots to do that?" Ryoko complained.

"Robots don't build character," Washu explained condescendingly. "Only physical labor does."

"Fine," Ryoko grumbled. She dragged her feet as she walked away.

* * *

Meantime, outside the miraculous interdimensional laboratory, in the Masaki household, the beautiful green-haired grey-eyed Noike groaned and clutched at her forehead. "Oh…"

"What is it?" Tenchi asked. "Is it a tremor in the force? Did you get a premonition of impending catastrophe? Is something about to happen that will change our lives forever and thrust us towards an uncertain fate?"

"It's just a headache, Tenchi," Noike told him. "I think I have an allergy, that's all."

"Oh," Tenchi blushed. "Sorry. I just assumed you had an alien power, you know…"

* * *

Back in Washu's transdimensional laboratory Ryoko was strapped naked to a metal cross while a metal tiara with flashing lightbulbs adorned her head. "Is this really necessary?" the pirate grumbled.

"Absolutely, Ryoko dear," Washu's condescending voice replied. "I need to monitor your biology the whole time. You don't want something to go wrong do you?"

"No," Ryoko rolled her topaz yellow eyes. "I must have been out of my mind to ask you to do this. What was I thinking?"

"You probably weren't," Washu quipped. "Now hold still while I adjust the youth ray." A strange metal apparatus moved closer towards Ryoko. It looked unsettlingly like some kind of laser cannon on a pivoting stand. "Now hold still," Washu said as the barrel got closer to Ryoko. "Hold still," she repeated as the barrel moved less than two feet away from the restrained space pirate. "Just hold real still now," she said as the barrel got so close it almost poked Ryoko in the eye. "Hold still now," Washu said as the youth cannon moved farther away. "Just hold still," she said as she continued to adjust the X, Y, and Z axis and peered at Ryoko through a cross-haired scope.

"This reminds me of the time you shackled me up in here and left me all alone," Ryoko complained as her childlike creator moved the youth ray projector up and down and back and forth. "You just left me alone in the dark and then filmed me when I was crying for my mommy! I can't believe you could be so cruel! No wonder you and Kagato got along so well before he betrayed you, you're sick!"

"Now Sweetie, you know darn well that I had a very good reason for doing that," Washu teased.

"And what reason could that be?" Ryoko asked indignantly. "What possible reason could you have for torturing me like that? You know darn well I can't stand being trapped alone in the dark!"

"Why, to hear you cry for your mommy of course!" giggled Washu.

"What?"

"Ryoko darling, you almost never call me 'Mom'," Washu explained. "I'm your mother. I created you, and you never acknowledge that. That hurts."

"What are you saying?" Ryoko snarled. "Was leaving me trapped here in the dark some kind of revenge?"

"Don't be silly," Washu smirked. "I just wanted to hear you call me 'Mommy'."

"Are you serious?" Ryoko protested through clenched teeth.

"I wanted you to call me 'Mommy' without being resentful or sarcastic," Washu explained. "I wanted you to think of me as 'Mommy' for real. Fear is just great for that. You always become yourself when overcome by fear. Throw their worst fear at anyone, and they always go cryin' to Momma. It always works."

"So you put me through that just to turn me into a momma's-girl?" Ryoko's golden eyes bugled out in disbelief. "You _are_ sick!"

"It was the only way to have my little girl back," Washu sighed. "I play that tape whenever I get depressed. It cheers me up, because I know that when push comes to shove you acknowledge me as your mother."

"You sick little monkey!" Ryoko flexed against her restraints. "You just wish I was your little girl don't you? You want me to be Sasami's age so you can raise me like you didn't do the first time!"

"What's wrong with that?" Washu shrugged. "When Kagato raised you, you became a space pirate. This way you'll turn out right."

"You already had this gizmo built didn't you?" Ryoko gasped in realization. "You just needed to assemble it, but you already built this machine didn't you?"

"You never know when you have to take some years off someone," Washu grinned.

"This was your plan all along!" Ryoko gasped in horror. "That's why you said all those cracks about my chest sagging! You wanted me to ask you to make me younger! You want me to be a kid again!"

"Go to the head of the class, Ryoko!" Washu smiled triumphantly.

"How young are you going to make me?" Ryoko squirmed against her restraints. "You _are_ just going to make me a teenager right? All knees and elbows like Ayeka was when she first came to Earth? You aren't going to make me younger are you?"

"Not _much_ younger," Washu admitted guiltily. "Just a little younger than Sasami, although I think it would be _darling_ if you were a little baby again!"

"A little baby again?" Ryoko shuddered. "But that's too long! By the time I grew up again Tenchi would be married!"

"He's a prince of Jurai, I'm sure he could slip in a second wife if he had too," Washu assured her. "Maybe two or three, I don't know…"

"Let him get married two or three times before I'm old enough to go on a date with him?" Ryoko frowned indignantly. "I don't think so!"

"Well it's too bad, because now my sweet little girl is going to become my sweet little girl!" Washu smirked. "This is my chance to undo all the horrible things that Kagato did to you while you were growing up. Now you can grow up in a good home surrounded by people who love you. I can be a good mom, and Tenchi can be a good dad! The perfect family, it's a dream come true!"

"Not in _this_ life!" Ryoko sneered. Her foot lashed out and gave the youth-ray a sideways kick. It spun on its stand while making a strange electronic noise and emitting a pinkish ray. Ryoko flexed her biceps and tore an arm out of a restraint as the youth ray projector spun almost one hundred and eighty degrees. She kicked the emitter with her bare foot and sent it spinning in the opposite direction as she freed her other arm. Soon the naked amazon was free and tearing apart the youth ray with her bare hands. "_This_ is what I think of your idea, Washu!" Ryoko cried as metal tore and crumpled in her long fingered hands. "_This_ is what I'll do to you if you ever try something like this again! I warn you…"

Ryoko's rant stopped when she heard a mournful whining. Someone was crying in a strange high pitch like Ryo-ohki.

"Don't be a baby," Ryoko muttered as she disappeared, only to reappear where her clothes were hanging off the wall on hooks. "You've built lots of inventions in the past and you'll build more in the future…" After she pulled her kimono over her head she listened with a large twitching ear. "Washu? Is that you? Where'd you go? Sounds like Ryo-ohki, she's sounds just like little Taro did, you better go check on her!" No response, but the crying continued. The gasping wailing sounded just like a baby. "Washu?" Ryoko slipped her shoes on her feet and then disappeared to reappear next to Washu's control chair. "Washu? Where are you? Huh?"

At the base of Washu's barstool style control chair was a pile of clothing and a helpless infant struggling to free herself. The infant had curly red hair and bright blue-green eyes.

Ryoko burst out laughing. "This is too much!" the former pirate giggled. "You got hit by your own youth ray! You deserve it! Now _this_ is funny!" She picked the baby up and looked at her tiny limbs dangling in the air. "Ha-ha-ha! I wouldn't mind if you _stayed _like this! Now who's in control, huh?" She set the infant down on the chair and took a step back. "I got yuh good, didn't I? Well, I'm not going to clean this up, so go ahead and make yourself older again and do it yourself—Ah!" Ryoko lunged forward and caught baby Washu when she started to fall off the chair. "Hey, be careful! Do you want to break your neck? Your great big head is too much for your tiny little body! You got to be careful! Okay, fun's fun; go ahead and make yourself older again."

The red-haired baby bawled and kicked her little feet. Her faced was scrunched up and her mouth wide open.

"Okay, you're starting to scare me now," said a wary Ryoko. "Look, fun's fun, but I know you can reverse this. You can make yourself older or younger without the need for gadgets or electricity. Just make yourself older. Focus your will."

Little Washu, _very_ little Washu, cried some more.

"Washu?" Ryoko's voice was a frightened squeak. She set the baby on the chair but didn't take her hands off her and looked closely at Washu. The baby didn't seem to have decent motor control. "Washu? Come on, don't do this to me! I know you wanted mother-daughter bonding time but not even _you_ wanted it like _this_! Come on, snap out of it! Come on!"

At last baby Washu's whining stopped, and the infant gave Ryoko an exhausted, but pleading look.

"You can't… undo this can you?" Ryoko stammered. "You… can't… undo this…"

Suddenly the space pirate started hyperventilating. "Oh! Oh! Oh!" she cried as she backed away from the baby. "What do I do? What do I dooooooooo?" she shrieked.

* * *

Outside, a baby Washu plays with a rabbit/kitten Ryo-ohki. Japanese names appear and vanish obscuring your vision of the delightful duo as a woman's singing voice is heard:

April roses, tiny sparrows,  
Cornets bright and new  
All belong together  
With the myst'ry that is you  
When I see your little face  
I hear a song from long ago  
I think you know  
The many secrets I've forgotten

Generations through the ages  
Joined as one somehow  
Leading to the miracle  
That I am holding now  
From the sky and from the sea  
Upon a breeze you came to me  
You seem to see  
A greater universe than I do

Sleep my baby, sleep my baby  
Dream of somewhere far away  
Do you remember still  
How I hope you always will  
Keep the mem'ry of the day  
The world was born

When you wake up I'll be waiting  
Eager for your smile  
You've had quite a journey, Darling  
You should rest a while  
When you cry we still rejoice  
To hear your voice - oh yes, it's true  
My sweet Washu  
Please understand how much we love you

Sleep my baby, sleep my baby  
Later on perhaps you'll tell  
The wondrous things you've seen  
More miraculous than dreams  
Tell me all about the day  
The world was born

(Instrumental)

Sleep my baby, sleep my baby  
Dream of somewhere far away  
Do you remember still  
How I hope you always will  
Keep the mem'ry of the day  
The world was born


End file.
